Kobol's Last Gleaming: What If
by laurie31
Summary: What if KLG had ended differently? What if Boomer hadn't been programmed to assassinate Adama? What if she'd just shook his hand and graciously accepted his praise as Racetrack had done? What was Adama going to do with Lee?
1. Chapter 1

What if KLG had ended differently? What if Boomer hadn't been programmed to assassinate Adama? What if she'd just shook his hand and graciously accepted his praise as Racetrack had done?

What was Adama going to do with Lee?

He could have yelled at him privately in the brig but he had him brought to CIC...

* * *

Adama looked with pride on the two pilots that had successfully infiltrated a Cylon basestar and destroyed it single-handedly. He shook each of their hands and then stepped back and came to attention and sharply saluted them. They immediately returned the gesture. 

"Dismissed!" he ordered and they turned to go, receiving pats on the back and shouts of congratulations from the CIC crew as they left.

After Boomer and Racetrack were gone, Adama turned his attention to the SAR mission to Kobol. He wanted tactical information, where had the raptor gone down, where did they need to begin the search. Then he assigned officers to lead the rescue team and pilots to fly the raptors.

Lee stood quietly with his marine guard. He knew there was no chance his father had forgotten he was there, but he was purposely making him wait. Lee knew the commander was angry. Wait, strike that. He was past angry. He was absolutely furious. He remembered once when he was a child, he and Zak made his dad so mad that he couldn't punish them. He didn't even remember exactly what they did, but he remembered his father's anger. He had stared at them, their first experience with the infamous "Adama glare" and then sent them to their rooms promising he would "deal with them later." Zak ran to his room like the hounds of hell were at his heels but Lee had gone slowly. He overheard his mother ask his father why he didn't just go ahead and punish them then. His reply had chilled young Lee. "If I do it now it won't be discipline, it will be abuse." Lee swallowed hard remembering how awful it was sitting in his room waiting for his father to come. He wondered if what was going to happen now was going to be discipline or abuse.

_Well, he wanted me to follow my instincts. Careful what you ask for, Dad. You just might get it._ He couldn't help but notice the surreptitious glances being thrown his way. Everyone in CIC was trying very hard to look busy, yet it was eerily quiet. They were all waiting too. They hurried to obey Adama's orders almost before he had finished giving them. None of them wanted to draw any of their commander's ire onto themselves.

Finally Adama turned toward his son. He glared at him for over ten seconds, which seemed an eternity to Lee.

Lee braced himself for the verbal onslaught which he was sure was about to start. He knew his father was angry, but Lee was not ashamed of what he'd done. His father had taken up arms against the government, staged a military coup! If anything, he was ashamed of his dad. This was a new experience. Even when Lee had been furious with his father, blaming him for Zak's death, he'd never been ashamed of him.

However, his father remained silent, anger radiating from every pore.

Dee's soft voice cut through the silence. "Sir," She began hesitantly. "I'm receiving a communiqué from the Council of Twelve. They are demanding to know who is in charge of the government as the Vice President is stranded on Kobol and the President is..." Dee hesitated, not able to bring herself to repeat the statement exactly. "Indisposed." she finished finally.

Adama turned towards her and she actually took a step back despite the fact that there was a sizable distance between them. "Tell them to figure that out themselves. I thought the Articles of Colonization spelled out the order of succession."

Dee nodded and returned to the comm to deliver the message. She was sure it would not be well-received but that was the least of her concerns at the moment.

Adama returned his attention to his son. Lee realized that's what he was at this moment. His father's son. Not a captain, not the CAG, but a disobedient child. Lee began to get angry. Any other officer would have been thrown into the brig along with Roslin. He was brought here to be paraded about in handcuffs and publicly humiliated because his father, not his commander, was exasperated with him. He had never asked for, nor had he ever received, preferential treatment aboard Galactica. Until now. He was being treated differently solely because of who he was. He presumed his father thought he had chosen sides again. He wanted to shout that there was only one side. The right side. How dare his father mention the Articles of Colonization when he had just gone against everything they stood for!

Bill slowly walked towards Lee until he was standing only inches from him. "Just what the hell did you think you were doing, Captain? Do you think orders are optional around here? You only need to follow them if it suits you? If you're in the mood? And I must have overlooked the regulation describing how you can relieve a superior officer by putting your firearm to his head! Where was your frakking brain, Lee! You put a gun to the colonel's head!" Adama's voice had crescendoed from a low growl to a roar.

Lee resolutely stood his ground, not looking away.

"What you did was mutiny!" Adama shouted, his neck veins bulging.

"What you did was treason!" Lee shouted back.

No one in CIC dared to even breathe.

It was a toss-up as to who was more shocked, Lee or Bill. Lee had no idea what made him open his mouth. The first thing one learned as a nugget at the academy is not to answer back during a dressing down. He already knew that lesson well from growing up as the son of Husker Adama. You never answered back. Not if you knew what was good for you. Now he'd made things worse, if that was even possible.

"What did you say?" Adama's voice was almost a whisper but it contained all the fury of a thousand hells.

Lee quickly reacquainted himself with silence.

"I asked you a question, Captain!" Adama roared, not at all satisfied with his son's response, or the lack thereof.

"You heard what I said," Lee responded evenly, deciding after his father had used his first name that this wasn't at all a typical dressing down, but a family argument. One that should have been private, but the venue was not his choosing. If it was a fight his father wanted, however, he could give it to him. "You took up arms against the government! Grandpa Joe must be spinning in his grave!"

Before he realized what he was doing, Adama backhanded Lee across the face.

No one would have thought it possible for CIC to get any quieter, but somehow it did. Jaws dropped all over the room. Even Tigh's mouth fell open.

Bill moved from fury into rage. How DARE Lee speak to him like that, and how DARE he make him so angry that he lost control and struck him right in front of everyone and how DARE his son be...right. Lords of Kobol, Lee was right. He couldn't admit that, though. In fact, the idea infuriated him. He found he had nothing else to say in response to Lee's words or his own actions.

"Get him out of here," he growled and turned away, not watching as Lee was hustled away.

He suddenly realized he had made a very large mess and had no idea how to fix it. He had in fact, committed high treason. He had illegally removed the President from office, was holding her without due process, and on top of all that he had driven a wedge between himself and his son that might never be overcome. All because he was angry that the President had sent Kara to almost certain death on a radioactive world controlled by Cylons. Damn.

He looked around at his slack-jawed staff. "What are you all staring at? Get that SAR mission launched!"

A chorus of yes sirs responded and suddenly CIC was bustling with activity.

Bill decided he needed to go somewhere and cool off. "You have the conn, Colonel." He left CIC without any further explanation.

* * *

Lee focused on putting one foot in front of the other as the marines led him down the winding route to the brig. He had been expecting the lecture, if you could call it that. It was more of a tirade actually. But he had never expected his father to hit him. His father had never hit him. Not like that. Sure, he'd had his backside warmed a few times when he was a kid, but his father had never just hauled off and done it. He'd certainly never slapped him before. He hit pretty hard, too, Lee thought, working his jaw. Was it only that morning that he'd been sparring with his dad and been clocked pretty hard? At least then they were in private...and his dad had on gloves. In CIC, he nearly lost his balance from the force of the blow. He wasn't sure but he thought one of the marines caught him. Maybe they were just holding onto him in case he were to try to fight back. A lot of good it would have done him to try. He wasn't that stupid. Although throwing his grandfather in his father's face was not the brightest thing he'd ever done. For awhile it looked like he and his dad were going to be able to move on past Zak's death and rebuild some kind of relationship. Now that hope seemed as dead as the worlds they had left behind.

He knew he'd gone too far by drawing a gun on Tigh, but at the time he couldn't see any other way to get the man to shut up and listen to him. He tried to tell him that what they were doing was wrong. They couldn't shoot unarmed civilians, the ones they were supposed to be defending. Now it seemed he had sacrificed everything he had for an ideal, yet been unable to affect the outcome. Yes, he had stopped the potential bloodshed, but the president was still in custody. The government in shambles. Would his father declare martial law? He had sworn he would not do that. Who could tell what would happen now, though. If someone had asked him yesterday if his father would stage a coup and he would mutiny to try to prevent it, he'd have accused them of being drunk or high on stims.

They arrived in the brig and he was unceremoniously shoved into a cell. He held out his hands, expecting his shackles to be removed but he was afforded no such luxury.

"Captain Apollo? Are you all right?"

Lee had no answer for the president. The former president. Whatever she was. He was furious with her for caving in to his father. That's how it looked to him, anyway. He stood up to Tigh and those marines and what did she do? Told him to put down his gun and surrendered herself to them. In a flash of anger, he wished he'd done nothing, let the civvies die for their principles. At least he would still have his career. He would still have his father. He sighed. But he wouldn't have his own self-respect. Despite everything, he still had that. But he was almost as angry with Laura as he was with his father, and chose to remain silent rather than risk telling her exactly what he thought, not just of her surrender, but also of sending Kara back to Caprica in that raider. How could she have been so stupid as to think anyone could survive that mission? Kara was going to die because of the president's misguided delusions.

Laura Roslin was unaware of the young captain's inner struggle. She thought maybe he didn't hear her. "Lee?" she spoke again, a little louder, and used his first name instead of her private nickname for him. She never called him Lee. That should get his attention. She had noticed the mark on his face. "What happened to you?" she asked with concern.

Again, Lee couldn't answer. He couldn't begin to describe his discomfiture in CIC. He moved to the small cot and lay on his side with his back to her. Certain that she couldn't see, he rubbed at the still-stinging place on his cheek as best he could with his manacled hands. Irrationally, he wished for his mother. He remembered how she would comfort him when his father had been too overbearing with a lecture. Sometimes Bill had forgotten that his sons were children and not yet officers. He sometimes expected too much. Caroline had hugged Lee and told him that his father didn't mean to be so hard on him, he only wanted the best for him. _"You know your father loves you, Lee."_ He could hear her voice whispering in his mind. _No, Mom, I know nothing of the sort. Maybe I never did._ Lee stopped short. _Frak me, I'm talking to my dead mother_. He bit his lip at his own thought _"dead mother." Gods, she's dead._ He had never really properly grieved for her, he had pushed her death out of his mind. It was as if she were back at home waiting for him and he could call her anytime he wanted. Suddenly her death hit him hard. She was gone, gone forever. The colonies were gone. His friends on Atlantia were gone. Kara was gone. His career was gone. His father wasn't gone but he might as well be. Lee was crushed with his overwhelming loss. Hot tears stung his eyes, but he stalwartly refused to give in to them. However, he couldn't seem to stop them either. He laid there in silent agony, ignoring the President's calls, until he finally fell into a troubled sleep.

* * *

William Adama entered his quarters and slammed the hatch shut behind him. What the hell had he done? Lee was right, he'd committed treason. _Treason!_ He hadn't seen it like that at all until Lee had said it. He had been furious that the president had broken her word. They had an agreement that she wouldn't interfere in military matters and he would leave the civilian government to her. He wanted no part of governing civilians anyway. All their whining about supplies, perceived slights, trivial issues. He didn't need that. But still, they had an agreement. He had never been able to stand it when someone didn't keep their word. How many times had he lectured his boys about the importance of that. A man's word is his honor. A man says what he does and does what he says.

He sank onto his couch and dropped his head into his hands. Gods, Lee. What had he done to Lee. Lee had been wrong, too, but until he pulled the gun on Tigh he was upholding his vow to defend the Articles of Colonization. Illegal orders were not to be followed. Every warrior was taught that. But Lee should have relieved Tigh of command instead of resorting to using his weapon. Two wrongs don't make a right. _And platitudes don't mean much when the world has ended. I wonder what three wrongs make? Did I actually hit Lee? Right there in CIC?_ Bill was mortified. He'd never hit his boys in anger. He'd punished them as children, but never out of anger. He felt it was his obligation as a father to teach them right from wrong. Sometimes he'd had to force himself to do it. He remembered his own father saying the old cliché, this hurts me more that it hurts you, and thinking it was a crock. He found out differently when he had children of his own. He hated punishing them. But not today. Today he'd hurt Lee and he'd done it intentionally. He looked down at his hand, noting that his fingers were still red. He presumed Lee's face was as well. He remembered his son's expression. For a moment, there was shock and pain. Lee had quickly hardened his expression but not before Bill saw something else. Disillusionment. His son had realized long ago that the war hero he had worshipped as a child was just a man, a man with shortcomings, but today he discovered that his father was a man who didn't stand by his principles, didn't honor his word. Who gave in to his emotions. How could he ever hope to regain his son's respect and trust?


	2. Chapter 2

Lee spent an uncomfortable night in the brig, unable to find a restful position with his hands cuffed together. Lying on his side wasn't bad but he wanted to stretch out his arms and he could not. What was the frakking point of keeping him chained up like this? He could hardly escape whether his hands were free or not. When he did manage to drift off, he relived the events of the day in his dreams. Horrific alternate versions of the events. Roslin's staff was massacred by the marines. He actually shot Tigh. His father hit him, not just once but over and over. Kara's raider exploded in a ball of fire over Caprica's radioactive skies. Each time he jolted awake in terror, the cuffs cut painfully into his wrists.

Lee finally gave up on sleep and sat up on the cot with his back leaned against the wall. He drew up his knees and rested his elbows on them and propped his head against his hands, a picture of despondency. He had no idea what was going to happen now. He decided he didn't want to know. Mutiny during wartime was a capital offense. Would they execute him? If they didn't, would he be sent to the Astral Queen to live out his days as a captive? Death would be better than that. He closed his eyes in despair and tried to stop thinking about it. He couldn't block out the image of his father's face, contorted in rage, as he struck him. He couldn't remember the last time his father had inspired such fear. It wasn't so much the fear of physical wrath, but that he had disappointed his father. Frak, he was a grown man. He shouldn't need his father's love or approval. But he wanted it. Frak, frak, frak! He ground the heels of his hands into his eyes. He would not start crying again. He was a Colonial Warrior. Or at least, he had been.

* * *

Adama's sleep had been no more peaceful than his son's. No matter how he looked at it, the only solution was to restore the president to office and admit he'd overreacted. Yes, she was wrong to order Kara on the mission to Caprica. Of course, technically, she was commander in chief of the military, even though she had given her word not to act in that role. But had she ordered Kara? And why the frak would Kara go along with it? He had to admit to himself that that was the true source of his anger. That she had betrayed his confidence to Kara. She must have told Kara that he had no idea where Earth was. How else could you explain Kara's last words to him before she jumped? Not to mention Kara's 'how long until we get there' questions just before she left on the mission.

He didn't know who he was angrier with – Laura for causing this whole mess, Kara for going along with it, or himself for having such an over-the-top reaction to it. Oh and Tigh, for not having the guts to tell him up front that his actions were illegal, and Lee, for doing something so incredibly wrong despite that he did it for the right reasons. Even if he was able to reinstate the President without further incident, what in the twelve worlds was he going to do about Lee? His son would have to stand court martial. He could be sentenced to life imprisonment or even death. Bill shook his head to clear it of those thoughts. That couldn't happen. He didn't know how, but he couldn't let that happen. His dreams had been filled with the remembrances of his failures as a father. All the times he hadn't been there for Lee and Zak. The terrible day he received that "we regret to inform you" communication. Lee's words of anger at Zak's funeral. Lee's expression only hours before in CIC. He thought perhaps the end of the world would give him a second chance with his surviving son. Had he destroyed any hope of having a relationship with Lee?

* * *

The first thing the next morning a marine arrived to collect the President, saying the Commander wanted to see her.

"He knows where he can find me. If he wants to talk to me, he can come here."

"Madame President, I have my orders. I can force you to come with me."

She merely smiled. "What would that accomplish?"

He considered her words and left alone. He wasn't looking forward to reporting to the Commander, however. He soon stood before Adama's hatch and knocked tentatively.

Adama was pacing his quarters waiting for the president to arrive. He had lain awake all night trying to think of what to do. He knew he had no basis for removing Laura Roslin from office. He didn't like admitting he was wrong, though. This was not going to be easy. They couldn't just pretend the whole thing never happened, could they? He guessed he was about to find out.

"Enter!" he commanded.

The marine opened the hatch, entered the room and stood at attention.

"Where is the President?" Adama demanded.

"Sir! She refused to accompany me, Sir!"

"She what?"

"Sir! She stated if you wanted to talk to her you could come there, Sir!"

Adama was enraged. She refused to come? He took a deep breath. The marine was clearly expecting to be reprimanded but Adama recognized shooting the messenger was not the answer. He knew what Laura was trying to do. Coming here with the marine would give him an advantage. If he came to her, he would be acknowledging her authority. Frak! When did that school teacher learn to play hardball?

"Very well. You're dismissed," he addressed the marine, who saluted and left at once, clearly relieved.

He took a moment to think. He had not anticipated this turn of events. It was bad enough that he was planning to apologize, but he damn well wanted her to apologize as well. And he wanted her to go first.

Trying to think objectively, he realized that his offense was in fact, the more severe, and so it did stand to reason that he should go to her. Frak. He would have felt much better having this conversation in his office. Maybe if he showed up in the brig himself, he could convince her to leave with him. He resolutely headed there, despite the fact that it was the last place in the universe that he wanted to be. He did not want to face Lee. He had no idea what to say to him and he had no idea what his son might have to say back. However, the situation with the President was paramount. So far, word of what he had done had not reached the entire population, but it was certainly only a matter of time. He had to restore the president to her office before it got all blown out of proportion. Already there had been protests staged on some of the ships that did know. If the media got hold of that, the whole fleet could collapse into chaos. He had to stop it before it got any worse.

He entered the brig and was greeted by the guard's salute and Laura Roslin's triumphant smile. Damn, he wanted to strangle that woman. He stared at her, but then couldn't help but let his gaze wander into the next cell. He saw a dejected figure with his head in his hands. For a minute it didn't even look like Lee. My gods, were his hands still in shackles? He'd been left like that all night?

Laura saw what Adama was looking at and broke the heavy silence. "It's cruel of you to keep him chained up like that."

Adama turned back and glowered at her. "I didn't order that he be left like that." Then he favored the guard with his glare. "Remove Captain Adama's handcuffs."

The guard quickly complied. Lee never looked up when the guard entered his cell but he did rub his wrists stiffly when they were free of their restraints.

"What has he told you?" Adama asked, without meaning to.

Laura's expression was unreadable. "He hasn't said a word since he was brought here."

Adama sighed. He would have to figure out the situation with his son later. "Madame President, we need to talk."

"Really? You have something to say to me? Because I certainly don't have anything to say to you."

Adama cursed inwardly. She wasn't going to make this easy. He supposed if he were in her place he would feel no differently. He sighed again. "Yes. I have something to say to you. I was hoping we could speak in private."

"Very well, Commander. We can go somewhere private. If that's what you want." She smiled tightly at him.

"Pass the word to Commander Adama. Commander Adama report to CIC."

Adama looked around annoyed at the interruption. What now? "I'll be back," he promised, and quickly headed for CIC.

"Sitrep!" He barked upon entering the command center.

SAR mission returning from Kobol. They report the surface is crawling with Cylons." the comm officer answered."

"Dradis contact! Cylon raiders confirmed," Gaeta interjected.

"Launch alert fighters," Adama ordered. "Get our raptors aboard and prepare to jump!"

The battle was fierce and frenzied. One heavy raider broke through the defending vipers and impacted Galactica. Soon CIC received word that Cylon centurions had boarded the ship.

In the brig, Lee and Laura heard the sounds of gunfire in the distance. Lee pushed his morose feelings aside and came to stand at the door to his cell. Something serious was happening, he should be out there defending the ship.

"Corporal, you have to let us out of here!" Laura ordered.

"Madam President, you know I can't do that."

"Corporal Venner, I have no intention of staying here and being shot like a rat in a cage! Now OPEN THIS DOOR!"

Reluctantly, the guard complied, realizing that she was right and rationalizing that part of his job guarding her was to protect her. He was also to keep her confined of course, but he could still do that. He would not let her out of his sight.

When they were free of the brig, Lee took command automatically. "We'll need ammunition. There's a small arms munitions locker on Deck 12." Venner was quite uncertain as to how to proceed so he accepted the Captain's orders.

Laura smiled inwardly, watching Lee transition almost seamlessly back into her Captain Apollo. He would get them out of this.

* * *

Reports coming in to CIC informed Adama that nearly all the Cylons had been destroyed. However, there were two centurions headed unopposed towards Aft Damage Control, one of their primary objectives.

"Sir! I have Corporal Venner on the line. He's on Deck 12, here," he indicated the position on a map of the ship which lay on the desk. "He's got Captain Adama and two other marines with him."

"Between the Cylons and Aft Damage Control," Adama allowed a measure of hope to creep into his voice.

"What the hell is Venner doing with Apollo out of the brig?" Tigh muttered. Adama realized with horror that the brig had been directly in the Cylons' line of advancement. The occupants would have been easily killed had they not been relocated. He took the phone himself.

Venner was a bit taken aback to hear the commander's voice. He began to try to explain his actions. "Sir, the prisoners were in grave danger and I felt I had no choice but to move them to a more secure location." Adama didn't have time for those details. Every second counted. He interrupted the nervous man, "You did right, Corporal. The situation is critical. You and your men are all that stand between the Cylons and Aft Damage Control. If they make it there, we lose the ship. You get there first. Do whatever it takes to stop those centurions."

"Whatever it takes, Sir?" Venner asked. "Should Captain Adama..."

"Whatever. It. Takes." Adama tacitly gave approval for Venner to allow Apollo to be armed.

"Yes Sir! Venner out!"

Corporal Venner looked at Lee. "What's the best route to Aft Damage Control? We have to get there before the Cylons or we're all dead!"

"Calm down," Lee spoke evenly. "First, we need to get the President to safety. Sick bay is the closest shelter. One of you take her there."

One of the marines nodded and took the President's arm. "This way, Madam President."

"Remember, head away from the sounds of gunfire!" Lee instructed.

"Captain," Laura called out. "What about you?"

Lee smiled wryly. "We'll be heading towards the gunfire." Lee passed out guns and explosive rounds as he spoke. After the president and her escort had disappeared around a corner, he nodded to the remaining men, "Okay, let's go toaster shopping!"

Apollo stealthily crept around a corner. He could hear the Cylons advancing in the distance. He pressed up against the wall and motioned for the men behind him to hold their positions. His eyes widened in horror as he saw Boomer emerge from an intersecting hallway, sure he was about to watch the young pilot be killed. She was too far away for him to help her. He held his breath, hoping they hadn't seen her. However, they turned and moved towards her. They lowered their weapons and moved past her without attempting to harm her. The Captain blinked hard and shook his head in disbelief. Did he actually see them nod slightly to her, the way one would acknowledge a superior? Surely not! But why didn't they attack her? He didn't have time to ponder this any longer for now the Cylons were headed directly for his position. He hastily moved back around the corner and they passed without noticing him. He quickly motioned for the marines to follow him through an access stairway. They would have to hurry to get to their destination before the Cylons did.


	3. Chapter 3

The men arrived in Aft Damage Control and hastily constructed a makeshift barricade from supply crates. Lee reminded the others that the heavily-armored centurions must be shot in the head in order to be destroyed. Jammer, a deck hand they'd met up with on their way, was clearly nervous, telling Lee he didn't know anything about fighting centurions. "I'm not really cut out for this, sir!"

"Neither am I," Lee confessed. "But sometimes you just have to roll a hard six."

Jammer was bewildered not encouraged. "What does that mean?"

Lee realized he didn't exactly know. "I'm not sure. It's something my dad says." Lee surprised himself with his easy reference to his father. A day earlier, he had been furious with his father and felt overwhelmed with his feelings of shame, anger, and despair. Now all that was forgotten; he just wanted to survive the next five minutes. He realized he did hope to see his father again. He thought perhaps his career was irretrievably damaged, but perhaps his personal relationship with his father might be salvaged. He pushed those thoughts aside as they could now hear the centurions in the distance. He started talking quietly to himself. "Headshot...reload...headshot. Headshot...reload...headshot."

The centurions moved closer. They were distracted by something in an intersecting corridor and Lee gave the order to fire. He hit one of them but the other Cylon continued to advance.

The other men fired but missed. Two of them fell to the Cylon's return fire. Lee reloaded his weapon as quickly as he could. The Cylon was almost upon him. He aimed and fired at almost point blank range and the Cylon exploded in a shower of sparks and metal fragments.

Jammer looked at the dead Cylon, lying in pieces around Lee Adama. "Hey, they don't look so big now!"

"They look big enough," Lee breathed, still trying to get himself under control. Someone once told him bravery was just when no one else knew how scared you were. Now he understood. Even in a viper in combat, he'd never felt terror like that. _Wow that was close, _he thought. He glanced down at his hands to make sure they weren't noticeably shaking.

Laura Roslin climbed to her feet and emerged from her hiding place followed by Corporal Venner. Lee wondered why they hadn't gone to sickbay but didn't ask.

"Well, it seems I once again have the opportunity to say thank you Captain Apollo for saving our collective asses." Laura and Lee smiled at each other, sharing their private memory of the last time she'd said that to him. The others appeared either bemused or shocked at hearing the normally refined president say such a thing.

Corporal Venner contacted CIC. "The remaining centurions have been destroyed by Captain Adama. This area is secure," he reported.

Colonel Tigh's voice came over the phone. "Good work. Now take your prisoners back to the brig."

Lee rolled his eyes. "You're welcome," he muttered towards the ceiling, handing off his weapon to the corporal.

"This isn't right. He just saved the ship!" Laura was indignant on Lee's behalf.

"I have my orders, ma'am."

"All right. You take Captain Apollo back if you must, but I'm going to talk to Commander Adama right now."

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, I can't let you do that."

"If you remember, he requested to speak to me in private before he was called away. I'm just following his orders." She smiled sweetly, daring him to refute her logic. "One of these other marines can escort me to his quarters."

Corporal Venner nodded to confirm that the Commander had indeed said that, and so they did as Roslin suggested.

* * *

In CIC, everyone cheered at the news that the ship was safe. Gaeta broadcast a message to the fleet informing them that Galactica had been secured and normal fleet activities could now resume.

Commander Adama ordered search and rescue teams to explore the decks where the Cylons had been, to bring aid to the injured and remove the dead. Seeing that things were under control, he turned to his XO.

"A few hours ago, before all this started, I was about to have a discussion with the President about..."

"She's not the President!" Tigh interrupted.

"Saul, I can't let this go on. Lee was right. Removing her from office was illegal."

"Lee also put a gun to my head, or are you forgetting that fact?" Tigh spat.

Adama took a deep breath. "No, of course not. But perhaps things shouldn't have gotten to that point," he finished very quietly.

Tigh took the hint and didn't say anything else.

"As I was saying, I need to talk to the President. You have the conn."

Bill headed to his quarters, intending to freshen up a bit after the intense situation before going back to the brig. He couldn't have been more surprised to see a marine escorting Laura Roslin down the corridor.

"Excellent. You're here," Laura smiled as if she had summoned him, rather than the other way around.

Adama quickly found his voice. "Yes, I'm here. These are my quarters after all. Now, why are you here? Why aren't you in the brig?"

"I thought you wanted to meet with me," she replied innocently. "Here I am, reporting as ordered, sir." Her tone wasn't quite sarcastic, but it was far from respectful. Playful might have been the best word for it, had Adama been seeking to describe it.

"Wait outside," he instructed the marine, and he and Laura Roslin entered and closed the hatch.

The Commander of the Galactica and the President of the Colonies stared at each other for several moments. Finally she spoke.

"I'm waiting."

"Oh?" Adama knew exactly what she was waiting for, but it galled him to give in to her.

"You said you had something to say to me. I'm listening."

Adama turned and walked a few steps away from her, and the picture of Lee and Zak on his desk caught his eye. _Okay, Lee had the guts to take a stand, even though his actions were criminal. Let's see if his Old Man can do any better. _"I have...reconsidered my position. I was angry that you broke your word to me, that you incited one of my best pilots to disobey orders and that you cost this fleet a valuable military asset." He paused to let his words sink in. He knew he wouldn't get her apology first, but he could remind her that he wasn't the only one who had made mistakes. "I have decided to forgive you."

Laura almost laughed out loud. Adama should be on his knees begging her forgiveness and here he was granting his to her. The audacity of the man astounded her. Outwardly, she only smiled. "I didn't ask for your forgiveness."

Adama clenched his teeth. "Well, I'm forgiving you anyway."

"I'm honored. I presume I'm supposed to follow suit?"

Adama just looked at her.

"You want me to say 'don't worry about that little coup thing. I know you didn't mean any harm' is that it?"

Frak. She was going to make him say it. "I may have overstepped my bounds."

"May have? You aren't sure?" Laura sounded much more like a teacher than a politician at that moment leaving Adama feeling like a schoolboy caught chewing gum or passing notes rather than the military leader of what remained of the human race.

"All right! I was wrong. I shouldn't have attempted to remove you from office. Are you happy?"

"No, actually. But I will accept your apology. I presume I am no longer in custody?"

"That's right." Bill affirmed.

Laura smiled, genuinely this time. "Well, for my first official action I will pardon you for treason. No charges will be filed against you."

Adama was taken aback. He hadn't considered that she could still have him court-martialed even though he had released her.

"And my second action will be to pardon Captain Adama and see that he is reinstated to his position with no further repercussions."

"You can't do that."

"I just did."

"People will think he's being shown favoritism."

"He isn't. He's being shown justice. He's personally saved my life more than once. He saved the ship today. His record is exemplary. He only acted as he did on Colonial One out of desperation to save the lives of innocent civilians."

Adama sighed. Secretly he was pleased. He knew there was no way for him as commander to officially overlook such a serious infraction, yet they needed Lee. There were too few pilots as it was. Not to mention that he couldn't bear the thought of passing sentence on his son. But he was still concerned about how it would look. He also knew Saul would be furious. He opened the hatch and spoke to the marine. "Bring Captain Adama to my quarters."

* * *

On their way back to the brig, Lee and his marine escort encountered Sharon Valerii. Lee couldn't contain his suspicions any longer. "Lieutenant? Would you care to explain why two Cylon centurions just walked past you without harming you, and why you didn't attempt to fire at them?"

Sharon froze. She remembered seeing the Centurions, being terrified they would kill her, then feeling no danger whatsoever as they passed by. She had no idea anyone had witnessed that! Oh gods, what WAS she? What would they do to her if they knew? But it couldn't be true, could it? She wasn't a Cylon! She wasn't! Was she?

Sharon's racing thoughts were interrupted when one of the marines spoke.

"What are you saying, Captain? You think Boomer's a Cylon?" He sounded incredulous.

Lee hadn't meant to come right out and blatantly accuse her, but now that the marine had voiced Lee's suspicion in no uncertain terms, Lee looked expectantly at Boomer for an explanation.

Sharon was totally panicked inside. She tried to hide her fear, tried to think of something to say, something rational. Believable. "You…you think I'm a Cylon? Well, well...maybe YOU'RE a Cylon!" Sharon cringed internally. That wasn't rational or believable. What in the twelve worlds made her say that? However, she noted the marines regarding Apollo with sudden suspicion. He was after all, under arrest for mutiny.

"Come on! You know I'm not a Cylon! That's absurd!" Lee protested.

Suddenly Sharon was shouting accusations at him and he was shouting back, each maintaining their own innocence while accusing the other. Within moments, the marines intervened, ordering them both to cease and desist.

Corporal Venner had no idea what to do now. Despite the fact that Captain Adama was his prisoner, he respected the man, and he'd just watched him nearly single-handedly save the ship. But why would he say such a thing about Boomer? And the same went for her. He had no idea how to even begin to sort this out. He found the nearest phone and contacted CIC for instructions.

* * *

Gaeta's jaw dropped slightly in disbelief as he listened to what was being reported. "Colonel? Corporal Venner is on the line. He says Captain Adama and Lieutenant Valerii are accusing each other of being Cylons." Gaeta spoke quietly but several people nearby looked up from their workstations with expressions varying from curious to shocked.

Tigh walked over and grabbed the phone in disgust. He had had just about enough of one Captain Lee Adama. His brow furrowed as he listened to the report. He wanted to tell Venner that they were being paranoid, to just put Apollo back in the brig and forget the whole thing but he saw the looks passing between the crew. He couldn't allow there to be any rumors started over this. He had to erase any doubt that Boomer could be a Cylon. Apollo couldn't be, he was the Old Man's son after all. For a brief moment, Tigh thought it was too bad Lee wasn't a Cylon. Then they could just put him out the nearest airlock and be done with him.

"Bring them both to Baltar's lab. I'll meet you there. We'll nip this in the bud right now!" He slammed down the phone. "You have the conn, Mr. Gaeta," he said as he stormed out of CIC.

* * *

Gaius Baltar sat happily in his laboratory. Six was on his lap tracing imaginary patterns across his face and chest in between passionate kisses. Suddenly she sat up, as if she'd remembered something. "You lied, Gaius."

Baltar's eyes widened. What was she talking about? When did he lie to her?

Seeing his confusion, she explained, "You lied to Sharon. You told her she was human."

_Oh that,_ Baltar thought. "But you said she didn't know she was a Cylon, that it would be...upsetting to her, to find out. I...I thought you wanted me to tell her…what...what she wanted to hear." Baltar finished defensively.

Six stood and walked a few steps away. "I never told you to lie, Gaius. God hates lies. They always come back to bite you in the..."

Six was interrupted as the door opened and several marines entered, along with Captain Adama and Lieutenant Valerii, followed just a few moments later by Colonel Tigh. "All right! What is the meaning of this?" Tigh thundered at the warriors.

"I was wondering that myself," Baltar ventured. "Why are you all here? I am a busy man, you know. Quite busy! Very busy, actually..."

"If you will be quiet, you will find out!" Tigh silenced the doctor's ramblings and turned back to his officers, wanting to hear this from them firsthand.

Lee spoke first, explaining what he'd seen in the corridor. "I just think it's more than a little odd," he finished.

"You know what I think? I think you realized just how badly you screwed up and now you're trying to draw attention away from yourself by making these outrageous accusations!" Tigh bellowed.

Lee blinked in bewilderment. That had never entered his mind.

Tigh continued his rant, wagging a finger at both officers. "I think you're both human but since half the ship has heard your paranoid allegations, I want the doctor to prove it. Then we can get on with your court-martial!" He poked Lee in the chest with one finger to punctuate his last remark.

Baltar absently noted that the Colonel didn't ask for Boomer's explanation. The man was obviously still furious with Apollo. Even Baltar had heard the talk about how Captain Adama had committed mutiny while he and the others were marooned on Kobol. He found it hard to imagine the straight-laced officer doing such a thing.

He felt a hand on his shoulder which moved to his neck and then ran its fingers through his hair. "Well Gaius, what are you going to do? If you reveal her as a Cylon now she'll tell everyone how you tested her before and said she was human," Six spoke softly in his ear. "At best, they'll think your Cylon detector is worthless..." she trailed off as she twirled his hair around her finger. She didn't need to spell out what the worst case scenario would be.

Baltar swallowed hard trying not to think about that and fumbled in a drawer for a tourniquet and a syringe. Finding them, he held them up and smiled inanely. "All right then. Who's first?"

Sharon boldly stepped forward looking back at Lee defiantly as she did so. "I have nothing to hide," she locked her gaze on Baltar as she continued, "Right doctor?"

"Oooh. Was that a threat, Gaius?" Six mused.

Trying to ignore Six, Baltar indicated for Boomer to sit and gave her a small ball to squeeze. Soon he had collected a vial of her blood. He nervously tried to press a gauze pad against her arm while placing a label on the specimen and collecting his rubber ball. He was quite attached to his ball. There weren't a lot of balls left in the universe, after all.

Lee wasted no time taking her place in the chair. He certainly had nothing to hide either.

As Baltar tightened the tourniquet around Lee's arm, he realized his eyes were only inches away from the largest biceps he'd ever seen. Not realizing he was speaking aloud he exclaimed, "My gods, those are huge!" Lee looked at him oddly and he hastily added, "Veins. Those are huge veins."

Six draped herself over Lee's shoulder and smirked at Baltar. "Interested, Gaius? I didn't think he was your type. Or are you just jealous."

Baltar didn't respond to that but started looking around for something. "Where's my ball?" he muttered.

"I've been wondering that myself," Six taunted.

"Oh, very funny!" he huffed.

"What? I don't have it?" Lee was baffled.

"Ah. Here it is." Baltar held up the object of his search. "Silly thing seems to have a mind of its own."

Lee raised his eyebrows. "Can we get on with this?"

"Oh. Yes, yes of course. Just squeeze my ball," he instructed, placing it in Lee's hand.

"You didn't just say that, Gaius!" Six feigned shock.

Oblivious to Baltar's imaginary playmate, Lee found a spot to study on the wall. He hadn't had much interaction with the Vice President and he feverently hoped it stayed that way. The man was a loon!


	4. Chapter 4

"What do you mean, he isn't there?" Adama shouted at the marine who'd come back to the commander's quarters alone.

"I don't know, Sir. I just know I went to the brig and no one was there. No prisoner and no guard."

Frowning, Adama picked up the phone and called CIC. "Captain Adama is missing," he began.

"No Sir," Gaeta responded. "Colonel Tigh ordered him brought to Doctor Baltar's lab. I presume he's still there."

"Baltar's lab? What in the twelve worlds for?"

"Apparently Sir, he was accused of being...a...a Cylon."

Gaeta wasn't normally intimidated by his commander, but he knew this was going to produce a rather unpleasant reaction. In expectation he held the phone away from his ear as soon as he finished speaking.

"A WHAT?"

Gaeta's instinct proved correct, as he clearly heard the exclamation on the other end of the line.

Immediately Adama reined in his temper and lowered his voice, although he was still angry. "Mr. Gaeta, who onboard this ship would believe my son is a Cylon?"

"I don't know, Sir. I think perhaps you should discuss it with Colonel Tigh." Gaeta had no intention of repeating second-hand information to his superior officer.

Adama slammed down the phone and dismissed the marine.

Laura looked at him questioningly. "Someone has accused Captain Adama of being a Cylon agent?"

Adama shook his head in disgust. "Apparently so. I'm going to Baltar's lab to get to the bottom of this."

"I'm coming with you," Laura asserted. "We can't just have people making idle accusations like that."

Adama nodded and they headed through the hatch together.

* * *

Tigh had ordered Lt. Valerii to resume her duties and she had gladly departed from the lab. When Adama and Roslin arrived, the marines were preparing to take Captain Adama back to the brig. 

"Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Adama thundered as he entered the room.

"Apparently Apollo had a little too much time on his hands and he decided to concoct a few tall tales," Tigh responded.

"What does that have to do with his being accused of being a Cylon? And what do you mean, tall tales?"

"He accused Sharon Valerii of being a Cylon and she accused him back. I think the whole thing is ridiculous but too many people heard them. I just wanted to prove it was a bunch of crap before too many rumors started flying around," Tigh explained.

Bill tried to take this all in. He decided this conversation was best continued in private. "I want to see you in my office NOW, Captain. You can return to CIC, Colonel." He turned on his heel and headed for his office.

The marine escort remained with Lee as he obediently followed.

Laura Roslin wasn't sure what to make of all this, but she was sure Captain Apollo wasn't the type to "concoct tall tales." She followed resolutely behind the Adamas, leaving Baltar to shake his head at the absurdity of what he'd just witnessed and then turn his attention to what in the colonies he was going to do about the predicament he now found himself in.

* * *

When the Commander, Captain, and President reached the commander's quarters, Lee stood at attention, waiting to be allowed to explain everything to his father. 

Adama dismissed the guard and studied his son. He could see Lee had noted Laura's presence, so he decided to address that issue first.

"The President and I have come to an understanding."

Lee was afraid to hope for a positive outcome for himself at this point, but he was relieved that his father was apparently not going to overthrow the government after all.

Laura spoke next. "I have resumed my rightful office, and there will be no legal actions taken against anyone involved in this...incident." When Lee made no response, she continued. "I have granted presidential pardons to both your father and yourself. You will not be charged with mutiny as you were acting in good faith to defend the Articles of Colonization."

Lee wasn't sure what to make of this. On the one hand, he was overcome with relief. He would not face court martial and all its potential negative outcomes. On the other hand, he was a bit perturbed. He made a choice that day on Colonial One and he didn't regret it. As far as he was concerned, Tigh was the one acting unlawfully. No one had mentioned pardoning him. Right now, though, all he wanted to do was explain what he'd seen to someone who would listen.

Unaware of his son's myriad thoughts, Adama wondered why he didn't make some response. Shouldn't he be pleased or thankful?

Lee belatedly realized the meaning behind his father's intent look. "Thank you, Madam President. I am grateful for your support and trust. I assure you it has not been misplaced," he responded formally.

"You are quite welcome, Captain Apollo," Laura replied. "Now, what is this about Lieutenant Valerii?"

Lee once again explained what he'd seen in the hallway. Laura listened with interest, considering his concern but Bill was not convinced. His brow furrowed.

"So you think that not getting killed by the Cylons means that she IS one? Lee, that's quite a leap. I can't help but share the Colonel's suspicion that you were grasping at something to put someone else in a worse light than yourself. Do you realize you have jeopardized that young woman's career and besmirched her good name?"

_Besmirched?_ Lee thought to himself. This wasn't going as well as he'd hoped.

Bill continued, thinking of how Boomer had successfully completed a dangerous mission just days ago. She'd been a trusted member of his crew for over two years. How could she be a Cylon? "Did you consider that in the confusion of the moment that you didn't see what you thought you did? Maybe the centurions didn't see Sharon; maybe she avoided detection just as you did!" He came to stand in front of Lee. "You should have come to me with this privately, rather than accusing her in front of a group of enlisted men. Do you know what a rumor that a Colonial Warrior is a Cylon could do to fleet morale?"

Lee was starting to get angry. He hadn't intended to bring down fleet morale; he was trying to keep them all safe. Had his father forgotten the water disaster? Someone on the inside had to be involved and no one was ever truly found responsible.

"Commander, I had no intention of making unfounded accusations." Lee felt angry that he was having to defend his position.

Bill interrupted him, "But yet, that's exactly what you did. It wasn't that long ago that the knowledge that Cylons looked like us was a tightly guarded secret, for precisely this reason. We knew people might start accusing each other for the most insignificant things. I didn't expect to see it happen with my senior staff."

"Ahem," President Roslin cleared her throat loudly. It was clear that nothing productive was going to come of the remainder of this conversation and in fact, quite the opposite was likely to happen. She decided to put a stop to it before things got out of hand. She was rewarded by a dual set of Adama glares. Both men had forgotten she was in the room and weren't pleased to be reminded. She wasn't cowed, however. "Gentlemen, what's done is done. Tomorrow we will get the test results and then we can put this behind us. We need to focus on plotting the location of the Tomb of Athena so when Lieutenant Thrace returns we'll be ready to send a team there."

Only years of practice at maintaining a neutral expression kept Adama's jaw from dropping. He couldn't believe she brought up that frakkin' arrow. Not to mention Kara. And how could she even consider sending a team to a Cylon-infested planet to find some architectural ruin that may or may not even exist? However, he didn't want to argue with the President in front of Lee, especially now. Focusing on the first part of the President's statement, Bill addressed Lee. "We will have the test results tomorrow. I will expect you to apologize to Lieutenant Valerii at that time. Until then, you will not discuss this matter with anyone, is that understood, Captain?"

"Yes sir," Lee made the only response possible under the circumstances although he desperately wanted to ask if Lt. Valerii would be apologizing to him as well.

"Dismissed, Captain." Bill made it clear that the conversation was over. "Resume your post."

Lee saluted and left, feeling more frustration than relief. He wasn't under arrest anymore, but he seemed to have lost his father's trust. He wished he'd never seen Boomer with the centurions. If they'd been just a few moments earlier or later, he wouldn't have. He resolutely headed for his office, determined to carry out his duties professionally. He also recognized with some indignation that his father didn't want him to be privy to the conversation that was certainly going on right now about this mission to Kobol. But if Kara was still alive, if she came back and the mission actually became a reality, then he was going.

Bill turned to Laura. "You can't be serious about going back to Kobol! Have you forgotten what happened to the team that was sent there?"

"Of course not! But we'll be prepared this time. The first team was caught by surprise. Also the base star has been destroyed. There are only the remaining Cylons on the surface to worry about. With careful planning and a little luck, we can avoid those.

"A little luck?" Adama was aghast. "We'll need a hell of a lot more than that!"

* * *

Commander Adama pulled off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He and the President hadn't really come to an agreement about the mission to Kobol. He still felt it was a bad risk and the chance that the map to Earth was actually there was less than remote. However, he had agreed to assign Lieutenant Gaeta the task of mapping out a probable location of the tomb based on scans they had made of the planet, and he was considering who would make up the team that would land on the planet, provided Kara ever returned. He wasn't putting a lot of thought into choosing them now, as it was all a moot point without the Arrow of Apollo. The President had agreed that if Lt. Thrace did not return, the mission could not take place. The timetable for when to stop waiting on her had also not been determined. Neither of them wanted to leave without Kara, for vastly different reasons, but both realized the fleet couldn't stay there indefinitely. They would reassess the situation in a week. If no contact was made by that point, Adama feared they would have to move on. 

As Bill undressed and prepared for bed, he couldn't help but turn his thoughts to Lee. He felt that their personal relationship was on very shaky ground, and he was not at all happy about this latest incident. Not to mention that Lee didn't seem at all repentant about his behavior on Colonial One and hadn't even seemed especially happy about being pardoned. Bill had no idea where to even start with Lee on a personal or military level. He supposed he needed to coordinate this mission plan with Lee, but he wasn't looking forward to it. Kara would be the elephant in the room in any discussion of Kobol and neither of them had come to terms with her loss. He did know that much about his son. He decided that after they met with Baltar, he would hold a preliminary planning meeting with himself, Colonel Tigh, Gaeta, and Lee, and then he would report back to the President. He shook his head. Wasting time planning a mission that would never take place. _What a mess,_ he thought morosely as he climbed into his bed. He finally fell into a restless sleep, wondering whether Kara could still be alive.

* * *

President Roslin had come aboard shortly after lunch. She and Commander Adama were to meet in Baltar's lab to see firsthand the results of the Cylon tests on the two warriors. Due to the nature of the reason for the tests and the subjects thereof, both leaders had a personal as well as professional interest in the results. 

Baltar nervously straightened his clothing as the time for the meeting with Adama and Roslin approached. They had decided they would wait and view both results simultaneously. Baltar thought that was just a nice way to say they didn't want to get up in the middle of the night to get the first result. Of course, they didn't seem to mind that HE had to do so. He cleared his throat in anticipation of the little speech he would be giving. Despite all his mental preparation, he still started slightly when the door opened and the President and Commander entered, along with Colonel Tigh. _I guess he couldn't stand to be left out, _Baltar thought. Then the idea that the Colonel's presence was perhaps in his favor entered his mind like a sign from the gods. He took a deep breath and greeted his guests.

"Welcome! Well come in, I mean," he stuttered. "You're, you're early. I mean, just five minutes early. Not that that's a problem, of course."

"Gaius, do calm down," Six was suddenly at his side, wearing a sultry blue dress.

Ignoring Six, Baltar moved to the computer screen where the results would be displayed. He pulled up the first result. "I ran Lieutenant Valerii's test first, as…well… ladies first, and all that," he babbled. President Roslin rolled her eyes. He turned the screen where they could see the result. Green lines. She was human. Adama sighed. Of course she was. He didn't know what Lee had seen, or thought he had seen, but he hoped this would put an end to his son's concerns regarding the matter.

"Now, Captain Adama's result finished up just a few moments before you arrived. I haven't even had a chance to see it myself, in fact." A few keystrokes later and another result was displayed.

Bill had started to leave, forgetting that officially he should see Lee's result as well, until he heard Laura gasp. He turned towards the screen to see...red. That couldn't be right. He blinked hard and looked again.

"I hope you know what you're getting into, Gaius. He's never going to believe that his own son is a Cylon," Six warned.

"My goodness! This is...quite a shock! Well, it is for me, I can only imagine how much it is for you," Baltar prattled.

Adama was stunned. He had fully expected both officers to be proven human. "How is that possible?"

"I am quite taken aback myself, I assure you," Baltar spoke earnestly. "But you can plainly see the results. One is human, one is Cylon."

Adama's eyes narrowed. "Lee can't be a Cylon. He's my son."

"I told you he wouldn't believe it, Gaius. You're just digging yourself in deeper," Six warned.

"Well, yes, of course," Baltar responded to both Six and Adama. "I can only hypothesize that at some point, the Cylons must have captured the real Lee Adama and sent this copy back in his place. An ingenious way to infiltrate us, don't you think?" Baltar tried to sound authoritative.

"Very clever, Gaius!" Six purred. "But be careful that you don't say more that you should."

"Bill," Laura spoke quietly. "When we interrogated Leoben, remember how I said he told me you were a Cylon?" She was rewarded with a glare. Bill didn't want to think about that and HE was certainly NOT a Cylon. "No, hear me out," she continued. "He didn't say "Commander Adama" he just said 'Adama.' He said, 'Adama is a Cylon.' At the time, I assumed he was referring to you. But what if he meant Lee all along? Maybe he was telling the truth? He told the truth about us finding Kobol..."

"Why would he try to warn us, if - and that's a big if - if they had replaced Lee with a Cylon?" Adama interrupted disparagingly.

"Who can say why the Cylons do anything?"

"Bill," Tigh entered the conversation. "It would certainly explain his recent behavior." He left the rest of his thoughts unspoken. If the Cylons had replaced Lee then they could replace anyone.

Despite his initial skepticism, Bill was starting to accept the idea that this was a possibility, despite the horrific ramifications both for himself personally and for the fleet. His lips pressed into a thin line. "Colonel, contact the sergeant of the guard. Have him send a team of marines here at once."

Colonel Tigh nodded and stepped over to the phone.

Adama's head was spinning. He knew Lee was human, but what if Baltar were right? What if the person he believed was his son was just a copy of Lee? He would have access to all their sensitive tactical information. He could have killed Colonel Tigh on Colonial One. Perhaps he would have if Laura hadn't intervened. _Gods how could this have happened, _he thought. _What am I going to do?_

A few minutes later the door to the lab opened and Captain Adama and Lieutenant Valerii entered. They had been ordered to be present to receive the results. Lee did not miss the look his father was giving him. He wasn't late, was he? Boomer had gotten here just as he did.

"Lieutenant Valerii, you are free to go. Your test showed you are human," Adama announced.

Sharon smiled triumphantly at Lee, who swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Lieutenant Valerii, I apologize for accusing you based on questionable circumstantial evidence. You are an asset to this ship and it is an honor to serve with you." He hoped that was sufficient to satisfy his father.

Sharon still had deep inner doubts about her true nature, which she couldn't deny after what she saw aboard the basestar, but as long as no one here knew the truth, then she was safe. She smiled at Lee, genuinely this time. "Apology accepted, Captain. I also apologize. I guess I just got carried away or something." She was unaware that Lee's apology was only due to orders and felt she should return the gesture. She also knew that she had no basis whatsoever for her accusation and was glad this was all over before anyone realized that.

Lee nodded at her, and they both turned to leave.

"Just a minute, Captain. No one said you could go." Adama spoke sternly.

Lee rolled his eyes before he turned around. He had hoped his apology had appeased his father but obviously he was wrong. If the commander was going to be all by-the-book today, Lee knew well how to play that game. He came to attention. "Permission to resume my post, Sir?"

"Permission denied." Adama glanced back at the computer screen which still displayed the lines of red. Gods it was true. His son had been somehow captured by the Cylons and they had sent a clone back in his place.

Lee was bewildered but protocol did not permit him to question his father's orders. He presumed he was still out of favor with his father and was being punished on some level. He was surprised when he a squad of marines entered and approached him.

"Sir, you're to come with us!"

"What?" Lee lost his grip on protocol for a moment.

"We have orders to bring you to the brig."

"On what charge?"

Commander Adama answered. "Baltar's test has revealed that you are a Cylon."

"WHAT? That's absurd! You know I can't be a Cylon, I'm your son for the gods' sake!" Lee appealed to his father.

"You're not my son. You're one of them." Adama answered solemnly.

"Put your hands behind your head!" one marine ordered as another came forward to handcuff the Captain.

Adama's face was as hard as stone. Lee was surely dead. For who knows how long. And he'd been living with this...thing...in his place. How DARE the Cylons do this! _As if it weren't bad enough that they kill Lee, they tormented us with this copy, they infiltrated us so completely._ "Take that thing to the brig," he ordered. He couldn't watch as the Cylon who bore the likeness of his firstborn son was hauled away.

Had his father just called him a _thing? What's happening? How could anyone believe this? _"Dad! This is crazy! I'm not a Cylon! Baltar's made a mistake! Dad! DAD!"

"That's what they all say," Baltar mused. "They all deny it." He shook his head in mock pity as Lee was dragged from the room.

Lee was completely flummoxed by the sudden turn of events. He knew his father was angry with him but he never could have imagined this. He stopped his protests as he was taken further down the corridor and was careful not to give the guards any reason to use excessive force. They were already being none too gentle as they escorted him towards the brig.

"That thing should be interrogated," Tigh stated bluntly. "We need to know how long it's been here. I doubt it will tell us what happened to Lee but we can try to find out."

Adama nodded resolutely. Then he cast his eyes downward, thinking of his son. _How long had Lee been dead? Days? Weeks? Months? _How could he not have known his own son had been replaced by a frakking Cylon copy?

"Bill, I don't think you should be there. This must be...hard for you." Sympathy wasn't Tigh's strong point, but any fool would have to know that finding out your child had been killed and replaced by a Cylon clone would hurt like hell.

"I hate to ask, Saul."

"You don't have to ask. I'll take care of it. I owe that toaster a thing or two, anyway."

Adama winced involuntarily at the toaster reference. He realized Saul was right. He couldn't watch that thing be interrogated. Hearing Lee's voice...he shook his head to clear that thought. No, he could have no part in it. At least he had the small comfort of knowing Lee hadn't really committed mutiny. It was all a Cylon plot.

"Find out what you can from it...then put it out the airlock," Adama ordered gravely.


	5. Chapter 5

Lee couldn't have believed things could have gotten any worse. He was starting to wish the centurions had killed him. Anything would be better than this. They actually believed he was a Cylon? That was absurd! Frakking ridiculous! How could his Dad not know the truth? He'd thought nothing could be worse than the Commander's glares of anger and disappointment, but he'd never encountered a look of revulsion from his father. He really believed it. Lords of Kobol, his father believed it. _He thinks I'm a toaster!_

Lee was once again shoved into a cell in the brig. He didn't even bother asking that his shackles be removed this time. He wondered what they would do with him. Then he tried to think of anything else. Cylons were airlocked. Sent out into the freezing vacuum of space. He wondered how painful it was to die like that.

He had lost track of time when Colonel Tigh appeared. "Open the door!" He commanded the guard. Tigh entered the cell and the door was immediately barred behind him.

Tigh stared at him in disgust for a moment. "What did you do with Lee Adama?"

Without thinking, Lee retorted, "I AM Lee Adama!"

The next thing he knew, the colonel's fist was impacting his jaw and he was on the floor.

"Try again."

Lee was suddenly really frightened. Colonel Tigh wasn't going to believe a thing he said. The XO was obviously here to interrogate him but he had no information to give. He wasn't a Cylon. He was himself! But in the Colonel's eyes he was the enemy. The enemy who had decimated their homeworlds and had nearly driven the human race to extinction. An enemy who deserved no mercy. Lee swallowed hard and wondered how long it would take him to die.

Colonel Tigh couldn't help but take pleasure in inflicting what pain he could on the Cylon. Bad enough that they had taken on human form, but to assume the identity of an actual existing human was even worse. He hadn't expected to get much information from the thing but it was at least a convenient target for his frustrations. Much more satisfying that the punching bag in the gym.

"How many copies of Lee Adama are there?" he demanded, knowing it was a win/win question for him. He'd either get an answer or have an excuse to hit that thing again.

After some time had passed, Tigh got tired of using his fist as a weapon. His knuckles were scraped and his arm was sore. He ordered the marines to bring in a tub of water and had two of them hold the Cylon. When it didn't answer the colonel's questions they plunged its head into the water until Tigh told them to let it up.

Lee took a deep breath of air as he was being forced beneath the water but it didn't help. Tigh left him under there until he began to struggle. He tried not to, but the primal desire for oxygen was just too strong. He came up coughing and gasping for breath.

"How many Cylon agents are in the fleet?"

"I have...no idea," Lee answered honestly, and was rewarded with another trip into the water. This time he miscalculated the distance and gulped in water instead of air. He was nearly unconscious when they pulled him out.

"Oh no. Don't you dare pass out yet," Tigh demanded. One of the marines pounded him on the back to help clear the water. He finally stopped coughing and caught his breath. Then they plunged him back under again.

* * *

Bill Adama paced back and forth in CIC. He almost wished something would happen to take him mind off his thoughts of what was going on in the brig. He knew that thing wasn't his son, but he didn't want to dwell on what means Saul might use to get information from it. He hoped they would be able to find out how long it had been aboard the fleet. He wracked his brain, trying to think of when Lee could have been captured and replaced.

"Dradis contact!" Gaeta's voice startled him out of his thoughts. "Bearing one-nine-seven mark four."

"Identification?"

Gaeta studied the readout for a moment. "It's, it's Cylon. It's the same kind of ship that crashed into us loaded with Centurions."

"Is it alone?"

"Yes, sir. So far, there's nothing else out there."

"Set Condition One. Tell the fleet to begin jump prep. Do we have a firing solution?"

"It's still out of range, sir, but we're working on it."

"Launch the alert fighters!"

"Sir!" Dualla called. "It's hailing us!"

"What?"

She put the garbled communication on speaker. "...actica...buck...you read...this...Starbuck"

"Starbuck?" Adama whispered in disbelief. Lee was gone, and he had given Kara up for dead. Was this really her? Or was it a Cylon trick? He knew how to find out.

"Starbuck, this is Actual. What do you hear?"

Starbuck laughed in relief. "Nothin' but the rain, sir!"

Adama smiled. It was her! "Grab your gun and bring in the cat, lieutenant!"

"Aye, sir!" he could imagine the smile stretching across her face. However, he couldn't risk the safety of the ship. He ordered two teams of marines to meet the ship in the bay just in case it were a trap of some kind.

* * *

Lee blinked and tried to focus. What had Tigh just asked? Then he wondered why he was bothering to try to figure it out. He wouldn't be able to answer whatever it was, and Tigh would hit him again. He'd apparently gotten bored with the water a while back. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the inevitable. As he'd expected, after a few moments had passed he felt Tigh's fist slam into his gut. Despite his efforts, he doubled over in pain and then collapsed to the floor when Tigh brought his clasped hands down hard between Lee's shoulder blades. With his wrists shackled, he had no way to break his fall and he landed awkwardly on his left arm. He couldn't bite back a cry of pain as the bones in his forearm snapped.

"That's what you get for putting a gun to my head, you frakkin' toaster!" Tigh punctuated his insult with a savage kick to Lee's ribs.

Lee cried out again, not having seen that coming.

"Had enough yet?" Tigh taunted. "Ready to tell me what I want to know? How much intel did you give the Cylons? How did you contact them?"

"I didn't...I haven't..." Lee managed.

Tigh grabbed Lee's hair and pulled his head up to make eye contact. "You mean you haven't had an opportunity to contact them? You haven't told them anything yet?" Saul was almost afraid to hope that they'd discovered the threat in time. "When did you come aboard Galactica?" Tigh was quite pleased with himself. He'd finally gotten the thing to talk!

"I came…for the decommissioning ceremony," Lee struggled to remember. He was still trying to convince the Colonel that he was himself.

Tigh had a totally different perception. He nodded at this last bit of information and let go of the thing's hair. Its head hit the deck with a resounding thud. _It made perfect sense. Lee had come alone in his Mark VII viper. The Cylons had obviously intercepted him and incapacitated his viper with that damned virus of theirs. It would have been an easy matter for them to kill him and replace him with this copy. They would have had to have gotten the DNA to make a clone much earlier, but with Cylon agents hidden all over the colonies that wouldn't have been too difficult. Hell, one of those female models could have slept with him for all they knew. _

* * *

Commander Adama waited impatiently for the Cylon vessel to land. Laura Roslin was at his side. He didn't realize she was still aboard, nor did he know how she had heard of Lieutenant Thrace's return, but he presumed she was here to find out if Kara had brought back that frakking arrow. He didn't care whether she did or not, as long as she was back safely. She emerged from the ship looking quite bruised and worse for wear, but she was smiling. He approached her and enveloped her in his arms. She had walked hesitantly down the gangplank, not sure if she would be arrested for mutiny or what. She'd never expected this, though. Adama was clearly happy to see her. She pulled back and looked at him uncertainly.

"I'm happy to see you too, Commander."

Adama gently brushed her hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Welcome home, Kara," he said, low enough that only she heard.

She was moved almost to tears with the sentiment. She had spent many hours wondering if Adama could forgive her yet again. She took a deep breath and focused on the task at hand.

"Sir, I have company. Lieutenant Agathon and..." before she could explain about her other passenger, Helo and Sharon had moved into sight behind her.

Adama's eyes widened in horror as he realized the truth. Another copy of Boomer could only mean one thing. He turned on Kara, "My gods, that thing is a Cylon! You brought back a CYLON?"

Laura remained outwardly calm. "Guards! Put that thing out the airlock!" The marines moved in after Adama nodded, confirming the order.

Helo put himself between Sharon and the approaching marines. "Sir! You can't! She's pregnant!"

"What?" Adama and Roslin both gasped.

"Sir, I know she's a Cylon. I mean, I know now. I didn't know at first. We fell in love, sir. She's carrying my child."

"A machine can't love, lieutenant!" Adama barked.

"Sir! She helped us escape! She saved our lives! The Cylons want her baby, she's rebelled against them."

Part of Adama saw the irony in a Cylon rebelling against another Cylon. "Are you a copy of the real Sharon Valerii?"

Sharon looked confused. "There isn't a human version of me, if that's what you mean by 'real.' I am Cylon model number eight. All Cylons who looks like me are model number eight."

"You can't clone a human being and take on their identity?" Adama demanded.

Sharon was even more confused. "We do have the technology to clone, of course. But we have no way to access the memories in a human brain to download them into one of our bodies. Only Cylon neural pathways can access the network."

Adama turned to address the marine sergeant. "Send a squad of marines to arrest Lieutenant Valerii and secure her in the brig."

"How is it that Baltar's test showed she was human?" Laura pondered.

"I don't know. But I'm going to find out." Adama headed resolutely for Baltar's lab, leaving a confused Kara and a worried Helo and Sharon in his wake.

"Madame President." Kara pulled the quiver from her back and opened it. She reverently placed the Arrow of Apollo into the President's hands.

Laura looked at the relic in wonder, testing its weight. Could this show them the path to Earth?

"Do you know where the Temple of Athena is? I do!" Sharon cried out as she was led away. "You'll never find it on your own. I can help you!"

Laura Roslin considered the words of her mortal enemy. At last she called out to stop the guards.

"The commander's orders were to put it out the airlock!"

"Actually those were my orders. He just backed me up. He didn't know about the Tomb. Take her to the brig until we can sort this out."

Seeing the logic in this, the sergeant complied. After all, he could easily airlock it later if that's what the Old Man wanted, but once it was done there was no going back.

* * *

A determined Commander Adama barged into Gaius Baltar's lab without bothering to knock.

"Careful Gaius," Six warned, stroking Baltar's hair absently. "He knows the truth. What are you going to do now?"

"Explain to me how your Cylon detector found Lieutenant Valerii was human, when there's a second copy of her in my landing bay. A copy that freely admits it is a Cylon!" The Commander wasn't making a request.

"Really? Another copy? Of Lieutenant Valerii?" Baltar's mind raced. Boomer's secret was out. But how to save himself?

Baltar made pretence of shuffling papers and checking over the vials containing the blood samples from Lee Adama and Sharon Valerii.

"She said there is no human original of her model. In fact she said Cylons don't have the ability to replace one of us. They can't access our memories with their technology."

"Oh dear!" He exclaimed, feigning bewilderment as he held up two vials. "It seems that Captain Adama's and Lt. Valerii's samples somehow became switched." He turned to face Adama with the most shocked expression he could conjure up. "Commander, I have no idea, no idea how this could have happened. Perhaps it was Boomer! Yes, Boomer...must have sneaked into my lab and...altered the labels. Yes? Yes. Yes! That must be how, how it happened. It..it…it's the only possible explanation!" The Vice President's eyes shifted about as he stammered.

Adama wanted nothing more at that moment than to throw the man out the nearest airlock. _Dear gods, the airlock!_ He had to save Lee!

Forgetting Baltar, he ran for the brig.


	6. Chapter 6

Colonel Tigh stepped back, breathing hard. He stared down at the thing lying at his feet. He had given up on obtaining anything else useful from the Cylon. It didn't even have the usual cryptic Cylon answers. It just kept denying everything.

Tigh had finally lost patience with the thing and ordered it to the airlock. It didn't even struggle against the guards. They threw it into the small space and closed the door.

Lee could barely stand on his own, but he closed his eyes in relief. Soon it would be over.

* * *

Adama hadn't run like that in years. His lungs were screaming for air by the time he rounded the final corner. Sharon, the one that had just arrived from Caprica, was being secured in a cell. But Lee was gone.

"Where is Captain Adama? And what is that thing doing here?"

"She says she can show us way to the Tomb of Athena on Kobol," the sergeant answered. "The President wanted her held until we can verify her claim. The other Cylon has been taken to the airlock."

Adama didn't have time to correct the marine's incorrect description of his son or question the President's orders. He took off again, trying to remember the fastest way to the nearest airlock as he ran.

* * *

As Saul was about to give the order to vent the airlock into space he heard footsteps running towards their position. The guards drew their weapons. "Saul! Don't do it!" Adama shouted.

Tigh gestured for the marines to lower their weapons. Commander Adama came to a stop in front of him. "Saul," he panted. "Baltar made a mistake. Valerii's the Cylon."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. There's another copy of her. She's Cylon for sure. I confronted Baltar and he said he thought Valerii must have somehow switched the samples."

"You mean..." Tigh trailed off as he put the pieces together.

Adama nodded. "Lee's human. He always was." He turned to the airlock in horror. "Gods, get him out of there!"

The marine nearest the hatch quickly opened the door. Bill reached in and pulled his son to safety.

"Lee! Lee? Are you all right?" Lee looked at his father in shock, not able to comprehend this latest twist in his fate. His legs gave out beneath him and he collapsed to the deck. Bill caught him as he fell. "Get some medics down here, RFN!"

Waiting for the medics, Bill had a chance to really look at his son. His son, this was his son. Dear gods, what had he done? Lee's face was a mass of cuts and bruises and Bill was sure the rest of him didn't look much better. "Get these cuffs off," he ordered and again a marine moved quickly to obey. Bill threw them across the corridor. "Lee? Can you hear me, son?"

Lee was only barely conscious but he was aware that he wasn't dead after all. When he realized he was lying on the floor with his father's arms supporting him, he tried to push away. His father had denied him, believed him a Cylon. "Get...away..." he gasped.

"Lee..." Adama realized why his son was doing it, but it still hurt. "Son..." he began.

"DON'T...call me...that," he snarled. "Don't touch me!"

Bill was unsure how to respond. He didn't want to upset Lee now, but he didn't want to let him go either. He was saved from making a decision by the arrival of a med team. They pushed Bill aside and lifted Lee onto a stretcher.

"How was he injured?" one of them asked.

Tigh and Adama looked at each other and then back at the medics. Lee answered for them. "They think...I'm a Cylon," he slurred, "so they beat the crap outta me."

"He's not a Cylon," Adama interjected quickly. "It was a…misunderstanding. A terrible mistake."

The medic nodded and the team headed off to sick bay with their patient.

Tigh looked uncomfortably at his CO and best friend. "Bill..."

"It's not your fault, Saul. We were all fooled. I should have known better, though."

"How? How were you to know that that idiot Baltar had screwed up to that degree? How do you say with such certainly that someone's a machine when they really aren't?"

"I'd like to twist his head off with my bare hands," Adama confessed. "But right now, I need to be in sick bay."

* * *

Cottle was waiting when Lee Adama was brought in. He'd heard the "Lee is a Cylon" rumors and wondered if it was all some kind of ruse. He didn't trust Baltar as far as he could throw him, even if he was the Vice President. _Unfortunately, it seemed no one else had thought to doubt the good doctor's word _Cottle thought to himself, looking at the captain's injuries. He quickly listened to his patient's heart and lungs, frowning at the coarse breath sounds he heard, then palpated his abdomen. Lee winced and tried weakly to escape the doctor's probing hands. "Easy son," he soothed uncharacteristically. "Can you tell me where it hurts?" he asked, although he thought perhaps 'where doesn't it hurt' would be a more appropriate question.

Lee couldn't quite manage that much conversation, so he pointed to the left side of his face, his chest and his right side.

Cottle gently probed one of the worse-looking lacerations on his cheek and Lee flinched. "Okay, looks like that's broken," he mumbled, almost to himself. He then examined the lacerations on both wrists. The right arm appeared uninjured aside from the cuts and bruises on the wrist, but the left was swollen midway between the wrist and elbow. "Probable fractures of the radius and ulna," he muttered again, cataloging the captain's injuries. A nurse dutifully noted it on the chart. "Any pain here?" he asked as he felt along the length of both legs.

Lee started to shake his head, then thought better of it "No," he whispered.

Cottle nodded at Lee's response the addressed his staff. "Okay people, I need x-rays of his head, chest, abdomen, pelvis and left arm. Put him on O2 at 4 liters, start IV fluids at twice maintenance, and give him 8mg of Morpha. Then I want scans of his head, chest and abdomen."

Lee didn't have the strength or the will to struggle. He wasn't sure if he was still a prisoner, if this was some new attempt to get information or if they were really helping him. He barely noticed the oxygen cannula being placed on his face, the IV started in his right arm, or the minor repositioning required for the x-rays. Soon the pain faded, although it wasn't gone completely. What was left of the pain seemed distant. He sighed softly, closed his eyes, and gave in to his exhaustion, escaping his physical and mental distress in a drug-induced oblivion.

* * *

Commander Adama placed back and forth, waiting for news of his son. They had taken him for x-rays and scans. Just when he was about ready to demand that he be taken to his son regardless, the doctor emerged from behind a curtain.

"How is he?" Bill asked, before Cottle even had a chance to speak.

"Sit down, Commander."

"I don't want to sit down, I want to see my son. How badly is he hurt?"

The doctor could see there was no placating the worried father so he got right to the point. "He's pretty banged up but nothing life-threatening. He's got some broken ribs, plus his left arm and his left cheek bone are broken. He's also got a mild concussion. Most serious is a laceration of his liver."

"A what?"

"A tear," Cottle clarified. "He's bleeding internally."

Adama paled.

Cottle held up a hand. "It's not as bad as it sounds. It should stop on its own within the next twenty four hours. If it doesn't, I may have to operate but for now we'll just observe him, monitor his blood counts and see how he does."

Bill tried to absorb this information. "You're just going to let him keep bleeding? Why don't you operate now? I don't understand."

"Calm down, Commander. We'll be monitoring him closely. These things usually resolve on their own. I could do more harm than good by operating now. As I said, it's not life-threatening, as long it's carefully watched. I won't hesitate to operate if his condition changes."

Bill took a deep breath and tried to understand what he was being told. Lee was bleeding but he didn't need surgery. Yet.

"It takes a lot of force to tear the liver. He was hit pretty hard."

Bill scowled. He knew all that. He didn't want to think about it.

"I'm actually more concerned about his pulmonary status."

"His what?" Bill was too upset to translate from medical to Colonial standard.

"His lungs. He apparently breathed in a fair amount of water. I've started him on antibiotics but he could still develop pneumonia. We'll just have to wait and see."

Bill felt sick to his stomach imagining Lee struggling to breathe while being held under water.

Neither man spoke for a moment.

"Is that everything?" Bill finally asked, fearful of the answer.

"It's enough, don't you think?"

Adama nodded mutely.

"I want to see him," Adama stated. It wasn't a request.

"I had a feeling you would. You can see him for a few minutes, and then I've got to set his arm and suture the deeper lacerations."

Adama pressed his lips into a thin line, not wanting to contemplate his son suffering even more pain. He wordlessly followed the doctor to his son's bedside.

Lee was almost unrecognizable, his face bruised and swollen. His left eye was swollen shut. His left arm was in a temporary splint and both wrists were bandaged. He automatically reached for his son's hand then stopped himself. He didn't want to do anything that would hurt Lee.

Lee managed to open his right eye, aware that someone had entered the room. He tried to focus with some difficulty. He at last recognized the form of his father. He looked up and grabbed his father's arm. "I'm not a Cylon," he said plaintively.

Guilt pressed down on the worried father like a blanket of wet sand. He carefully covered Lee's hand with his own. "I know, son."

"I'm not a Cylon," Lee repeated. "I'm not...not a Cylon." His words slurred just a bit.

Bill felt desperate to reassure him. "Lee, you were right about Sharon. She switched your blood samples to make it look as if..."

Cottle interrupted. "Commander, don't bother telling him anything you're going to expect him to remember later." Seeing Bill's questioning look he added, "I think he's got a pretty good buzz right about now."

"Buzz," Lee repeated, fascinated with the feeling he got when enunciating the "z". "Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz."

Bill grinned, understanding.

"I. Am not. A Cylon."

Bill's smile faded. "I know that." He was frustrated at Lee's fixation on defending himself.

"I am me. I am Lee." he said very seriously, then suddenly acted as if he had made a startling discovery. "Hey, that rhymes! Me Lee. Lee me."

"Go to sleep, Captain," Cottle ordered.

"But I'm not sleepy!" Lee protested.

Cottle produced another syringe.

"Hasn't he had enough? Bill questioned in concern.

"Oh, he's had enough Morpha, for sure," Cottle answered. "This is a short-acting anesthetic. No need for him to be awake while I set the bones and stitch him up."

Bill nodded, grateful that Lee wouldn't experience any more pain after all.

"It's time for you to go Bill. You can see him later."

Bill carefully removed Lee's hand from his arm. "The doc's going to fix you up now, son. I'll be right outside."

Lee looked at his father as if just seeing him for the first time. Then he turned towards Cottle and said conspiratorially, "He thinks I'm a Cylon. But I'm really not."

Cottle's response to this was to push the medication into Lee's IV tubing.

Then Lee's world became all fuzzy and he floated away into nothingness.


	7. Chapter 7

Despite her exhaustion, Kara felt utter happiness at entering senior officers' quarters. She was home. She had survived her trip to Caprica, she had found the arrow, brought it back safely, and she had found survivors. It broke her heart to leave Sam behind, but she would return for him. After all, the President owed her a favor now, and how could anyone say no to rescuing survivors? As she undressed, she glanced over at Lee's rack. She'd been slightly hurt that he hadn't been there to greet her in the landing bay along with his father. In fact, it was kind of odd the way the Commander had left in such a hurry. Something about Sharon, but of course he would be upset to learn that one of his pilots was a Cylon. She sure as hell had been. She'd counted Boomer a friend. She sighed. She'd counted Lee a friend too. Surely he wasn't still angry about her stupid indiscretion with Gaius Baltar. If he was, well, that was his problem. She glanced towards his rack and was surprised to see it was empty. Was he still in his office at this hour?

"Hey Starbuck, glad to have you back!" Hot Dog said, coming up beside her.

"Thanks," she smiled. It was nice to have been missed. "Hey, um, have you seen Apollo?"

"You haven't heard? He's been in the brig!"

Kara couldn't help it – she actually giggled at the thought of that. "No way! Lee by-the-book Adama is in hack? What'd he do? Forget to sign everything in triplicate or something?"

"He...committed mutiny," Hot Dog replied seriously.

Kara's eyes widened. _Had Hot Dog actually said mutiny? Apollo? _She shook her head. _Lee mutinied? Those two words just didn't belong next to each other._ Her eyes narrowed again. "No frakkin' way! You're making that up, Costanza!"

Hot Dog shook his head. "No, Sir! It really happened, honest! He put a gun to Colonel Tigh's head!"

There was still a part of Kara that simply could not believe this was anything but an elaborate prank. The rest of the squad was probably listening from their racks waiting to see if she would buy such an outlandish story. But Hot Dog looked so serious. And Lee wasn't here..._Lords of Kobol, Lee held a gun to Tigh's head?_ She would have paid big money to have seen that!

"Okay...if you're telling the truth..." she began, "...and I'm not saying that I think you are or anything," she said loudly to the room, "tell me why in the gods' names Lee would do something like that."

Hot Dog looked uncomfortable.

_Ha, I've caught him out! _Kara thought. _He did make it up!_

"He was trying to prevent Commander Adama from overthrowing the government," Hot Dog finally answered. He looked very nervous now, and had assumed a defensive posture as if he feared Starbuck was about to punch him in the mouth.

Kara noted this, and realized he wouldn't have risked incurring her wrath for a simple prank. My gods, had the whole fleet gone to hell in a hand basket while she was gone? "Wait a minute." She was still reeling from the idea of Lee committing mutiny and there was no way she could wrap her brain around what she'd just been told about Commander Adama. She shook her head. "You're trying to tell me that the Old Man staged a coup?" Kara was incredulous. "But he and the President were together in the landing bay to meet me. How could that be?"

"Well," Hot Dog lowered his voice, "I think they um….kissed and made up or something." Kara's eyebrows rose but she didn't comment. "Anyway, Apollo was in hack and then the Cylons attacked and we were boarded, so they let him out, but then he accused Boomer of being a Cylon! Can you believe that?"

Kara's expression became serious. _Lee had known about Sharon? Or at least suspected? How? _She put aside her thoughts for a moment when she realized Hot Dog was still talking.

"So then she accused him too. No one's supposed to be talking about it, but everyone is. There's rumors that he isn't even really himself, that he's a Cylon clone. Other people say that's all outrageous gossip, but no one's seen the CAG all day."

Kara had heard one too many too-incredible-to-be-true pieces of information in the last five minutes. She wasn't about to be upset by some bizarre idle gossip. _Lee a Cylon? Yeah, right. Who in the twelve worlds thought that one up and how much did they have to drink first?_

"You know what, Costanza?" she finally said.

The young pilot swallowed nervously. Maybe he should have just kept his mouth shut.

"I'm tired. I've had a rough day, no- make that a rough week. I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

That wasn't what he had expected her to say. He breathed a sigh of relief as she walked past him and dropped into her rack, halfway closing the curtains as she lay down.

Kara's head was spinning. She couldn't figure out where the grains of truth were in Costanza's tale of woe. There must be SOME truth to it somewhere…but she certainly couldn't discern it. _Lee committing mutiny? The Commander staging a coup? Lee a CYLON? No. No way._ Tigh hadn't said anything about any of that in her debriefing, and Adama and Roslin had been together in the landing bay just like always. Adama hadn't come to the debriefing but he must have been busy dealing with Boomer. She would surely hear all about that from the commander in the morning. The President would unquestionably want to send a mission to Kobol ASAP to get the map to Earth, and after that, they could send the rescue mission back to Caprica. She'd better get some rest. This might be her only chance for awhile. She'd have a good laugh with Lee tomorrow over this story. Suddenly she thought of something else. "COSTANZA! Get the hell out of senior officers' quarters!" She smiled in satisfaction as she heard the hatch bang shut.

* * *

The sound of someone screaming woke Lee. At first he didn't remember where he was or why he ached all over. A few seconds later, it all came back in a rush. He had been accused of being Cylon. He had been tortured and nearly executed. He decided he liked it better when he couldn't remember. He tried to calm his breathing. He looked around. He was in sick bay. It was dark and quiet; it must be sometime during the night rotation. He had vague memories of being brought here, his father holding him, Cottle repairing the broken bones and lacerations. But why? They were all so certain he was a Cylon clone of Lee Adama. What made them change their minds? Was this some new attempt to get information? 

"Are you all right, Captain?"

Lee was startled by the soft voice. He hadn't heard anyone approach.

"I...um...yeah. I'm...I'm fine."

The nurse looked dubiously at her patient. He didn't look fine to her. His screams had drawn her attention. He was still breathing too fast. At first she had thought he was in pain, but she had worked night shift long enough to know that injured warriors often had nightmares and she now recognized that this is what must have happened. "Do you want me to send for Lieutenant Thrace?" she asked tentatively.

If Lee hadn't already been lying down, he might have collapsed from shock. No one had dared to even mention Kara's name in his presence since she'd disappeared. "What do you mean?" He finally got out.

"You were calling for her. I thought...well, I thought you might like to see her. Do you want me to have her paged?"

Lee shook his head in disbelief. How could anyone on Galactica not know? "Kara's...gone. She jumped back to Caprica. Who knows if she's even still alive?"

"Oh, that's right," she remembered aloud. "You were sleeping when she was brought in. She came back yesterday. She had some minor injuries but was treated and released."

Lee felt all the blood drain from his face. "Kara's alive?" He breathed. "She's here? On Galactica?"

"Yes," the nurse answered, nodding her head.

Lee's mind raced. _Kara's alive, Kara's alive, Kara's alive _repeated like a mantra inside his brain. He wanted desperately to see her, to hear her voice, to touch her, to hold her. He wanted to tell the nurse to find her and bring her here, right now if not sooner. But then he realized the lateness of the hour. She said Kara had been treated for minor injuries. If she'd been released then she was okay, but that likely meant she had to go through debriefing and who knows what else. She must be exhausted. This might be the first decent sleep she'd had since she left. He couldn't bring himself to have her awakened in the middle of the night just because he wanted to see her. He also remembered that their last words had not been pleasant ones. She may not want to see him at all. He hadn't even considered that until this very moment. What if he sent for her and she refused to come? He couldn't bear that. Belatedly he realized the nurse was still standing there waiting for an answer. He wasn't about to share his private thoughts and fears with her so he changed the subject completely. "Can I have some water?"

"No, I'm sorry, you can't have anything to eat or drink yet," the nurse informed him.

Lee hadn't really been that thirsty, he was just thinking he would have a drink and then go back to sleep, but the knowledge that he _couldn't _have anything transformed his mouth into a Scorpian desert.

Unaware of her patient's misery, the nurse checked her watch. "It's nearly time for your next blood test; I'll go ahead and do it now, then you can sleep for awhile."

"Didn't you just take blood?"

"That was a few hours ago. The doctor's ordered blood tests every four hours."

_Great, _Lee thought. Soon he was sporting a new bandage on his uninjured arm.

"Your monitor readings look pretty good. Let's see how you do without oxygen." The nurse removed it as she spoke. She watched for a few minutes to make sure nothing changed. "Can I get you anything?"

Lee wanted to request a steak, a tall glass of water, Kara Thrace...but he knew he could have none of those, so he just shook his head and closed his eyes. The nurse pulled the curtain around his bed and left him to his dreams.

* * *

_Lee felt Tigh's fists pummel him into unconsciousness. He tried not to give the man the satisfaction of hearing him cry out in pain. In the end, he wasn't sure if he was successful._

_He awoke on a bed in a room that smelled of antiseptic._ Sick bay_. Lee experienced pure relief. He had been saved!_

_A man in a lab coat stood with his back to Lee. Doctor Cottle, Lee presumed, but when the man turned around Lee recoiled in horror as he recognized Colonel Tigh!_

_He tried to get up, to run, but he was strapped down securely. He struggled to free himself, to no avail._

_"Going someplace, Captain," Tigh mocked. "I don't think so!" He grinned maliciously and held up the largest syringe Lee had ever seen. Grasping it with both hands he plunged it into Lee's chest..._

Lee awoke panting. He was terrified but he couldn't remember exactly why. Feeling the bandages on his wrists, he assumed he was restrained. He tentatively moved his arm. No, he wasn't. He held his arm up in front of his face, examining the dressings. He wasn't a prisoner, then. They had treated his wounds. But why? He didn't have a very good recollection of the night's events. He remembered dream-images, feeling pain and fear, but what had been real and what was only a dream? Did someone tell him Kara was back? Or had he just dreamed that? He remembered looking for her but he couldn't ever find her. That part was a dream, he was certain. Had the other part really happened or was it just his wishful thinking?

"Good morning! I see you're awake already."

Lee jumped when Doctor Cottle spoke; he had been lost in his thoughts. Despite his not recalling the nightmare from which he'd just awakened, he was subconsciously unnerved by the similarity.

"How do you feel?"

Lee had to think about that one. He was still pretty sore, but he wasn't in acute pain. "Okay, I guess."

"Do you know where you are?"

_Ah. Those questions. _His head did hurt, now that he thought about it. He must have a concussion. It couldn't be that bad, though, as he did know the answer. "Sick bay," he replied dutifully.

"What's your name?"

Lee unwittingly hesitated, remembering what had happened last time he told someone his name.

Cottle saw the fear in his patient's eyes and recognized the reason for his lack of response. He shook his head, knowing there was nothing he could do about that. "How about my name? Do you know my name?"

"You're Major Cottle," Lee replied. Not wanting the doctor to think he was more seriously injured that he actually was, he forced himself to answer the other question as well. "And I'm...Lee Adama, Captain, CFR, 318742."

The doctor felt a moment of pity for the young man as he actually flinched after stating his name, rank, and serial number. He patted Lee's shoulder. "That's right, son. Seems that idiot genius needs to step up security in his lab." He pulled the sheet down to Lee's waist. "Well, let's have a look at you." He slipped his stethoscope under Lee's gown. "Take some deep breaths," he instructed.

Cottle was pleased to hear vast improvement in his patient's breath sounds and the deep breathing had the added effect of helping Lee calm himself. The doctor kept listening a few moments longer than necessary until Lee had settled. The nurse assumed he was just being thorough. He continued his exam, pressing around on Lee's abdomen. Lee could have done without that but he didn't complain. Cottle seemed satisfied and turned to the nurse. "You have his lab results?"

She handed him several sheets of paper which he perused, nodding to himself. "Good, good," he muttered and handed them back to her. "Change the hematocrits to every eight hours, stop the IV fluid, start him on clear liquids and advance his diet as tolerated. Discontinue the morpha; change him to oral pain medication, one every four hours as needed, and discontinue the monitor. He's done fine without oxygen for the last few hours."

The nurse scribbled all that down on Lee's chart and the doctor signed it.

He turned back to Lee. "If your next two blood counts are okay we can stop them, and if you make it to solid food by then, you're out of here." Then he headed off to see his next patient.

Lee's mind was whirling. He was certainly not a prisoner and Cottle had made some disparaging remark about Baltar's lab having poor security. So the test was a mistake after all? Of course HE had known that, but no one else had seemed to give it any consideration. He lay still while the nurse removed his IV fluids and gratefully accepted the water she offered. He never did realize that it was his own screams he'd heard during the night, he just knew his throat was raw and scratchy. When she asked if he'd like to try some broth, he readily accepted. She soon returned with it and a pain pill as well. Lee gulped them both eagerly. When he was finished, she gently cleaned the wounds on his face and applied an antibiotic. He fell asleep while she was redressing his wrists. When she had finished all her tasks, she carefully covered her patient and wondered how in the worlds anyone could think he was a Cylon.

* * *

Bill Adama rose early and headed for sick bay, intending to check on Lee before he was due in CIC. Dr. Cottle motioned him aside when he entered. 

"How is he? Is he all right?" Bill asked anxiously.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you," Cottle silenced the worried man. "Physically, he's much better. The bleeding has stopped, he's off oxygen and I think the danger of pneumonia has passed."

Adama visibly relaxed. "So he's okay?"

"Physically, he's stable. Mentally, well now, that's a different story."

Adama's eyes widened in horror. "The concussion?" he began, fearing the worst.

"No, no, he's neurologically intact," Cottle reassured. "I meant emotionally. He was accused of being a Cylon clone. More than just accused, actually," Cottle amended. "He's already showing some early signs of acute stress syndrome."

Bill felt at once relieved that Lee hadn't suffered some type of brain damage while simultaneously experiencing a new concern. "How do you mean? What signs?"

"Well, he knows who he is, but he's afraid to tell me. Makes for an interesting neuro exam," Cottle mused. "He's easily startled, has nightmares, that sort of thing."

Bill nodded. "I see. How can I help him?"

"Hell if I know. He'll either get over it or he won't." Cottle took a drag off his cigarette. "I do know this much. You can't make him do it. He'll have to work it out for himself."

Bill nodded staunchly and headed in to see his son.  
Lee noted his visitor and came to attention as best he could while lying down and saluted stiffly.

Adama half-heartedly returned the salute. "How are you feeling this morning, son?" He attempted to put Lee at ease by being familiar but Lee wasn't having it.

"My condition is satisfactory, Sir. Thank you for asking, Sir."

"Lee...you don't have to be so formal, son." Bill spoke awkwardly, unsure of how to reach his son.

Lee didn't respond or relax.

Bill sighed inwardly. _Lee wasn't going to make this easy. _He had spent a restless night thinking of what Lee had been through, being falsely accused and then tortured. If Lee had been captured by the Cylons, he would have tried to escape, or at least hoped for rescue. As a prisoner aboard his own ship, he had no hope of either escape or rescue. Remembering the doctor's words, Bill tried to put himself in his son's place. He closed his eyes imagining the helplessness Lee must have felt. And if that weren't bad enough, he had to have known it was his own father who'd given the order for his interrogation. Tigh had suggested it, but he had agreed. He realized perhaps what had hurt Lee the most was his own rejection. He'd called his son a thing and turned a deaf ear to his cries. He hadn't given serious consideration to Lee's own concerns about Boomer simply because he didn't want to believe it and because he was still angry with Lee for his actions on Colonial One. He'd let his personal emotions cloud his judgment. Despite that, he'd insisted Lee couldn't be Cylon until the seemingly overwhelming evidence and the opinions of those around him convinced him otherwise and caused him to doubt his own son's humanity. A simple "I'm sorry" would hardly make amends. But what would? Had he lost his son despite everything? In the years between Zak's death and the holocaust he had tried to convince himself that he was happy with his life the way it was. He had his life on Galactica and Lee had his on Atlantia. It took the destruction of their homeworlds to bring Lee back into his life. Now that he'd had a taste of what he'd been missing, he didn't want to give it up. He wanted to be close to his son.

He looked back at Lee. The swelling had gone down; his son could open both eyes now, but there was still extensive bruising. He still lay motionless, eyes staring straight ahead, his expression devoid of emotion. Bill's desire for a relationship was obviously not mutual. He had no idea how to bridge the chasm between them and didn't want to do anything at the moment that would upset Lee. He was certain that any overture he made would be rejected, so he fell back on his familiar escape. Duty. "I'm glad you're doing better, son. I wanted to see you before my shift starts. I need to go now or I'll be late." He wanted to reach over and touch Lee, pat his shoulder or squeeze his arm, but he didn't dare. He left quickly, not giving in to the urge to look back.


	8. Chapter 8

After the planning meeting for the mission to Kobol was concluded, everyone filed out of the room, but Kara hung back. Bill knew from experience that she wanted to talk. He had a feeling he knew about what. Or rather whom.

"I know I shouldn't put any stock in rumors, but I've been hearing some…pretty strange things," she said, after they were left alone.

"It's true."

Kara was shocked. How could Adama say it was true without first knowing what she had heard. She simply couldn't resist an opportunity like that. "So…Ellen Tigh's been dancing naked on the tables in the mess hall?" Kara asked innocently.

Adama's eyebrows rose and quickly lowered as that unwanted image entered his brain and was quickly banished.

"No!"

He continued to glare at her, prompting a sheepish, "Sorry sir."

"What have you heard?" Adama finally asked.

"Well," she began uncomfortably. "I heard that Lee…um…"

"That's true."

"Lee put a gun to Tigh's head?" Kara asked in disbelief, almost expecting the same response she got for the crack about Ellen.

Adama nodded.

Kara's mouth opened and closed. Finally she spoke again. "And…he did it because…you were trying to…"

"That's true, too."

Kara silently absorbed all this.

"We both got Presidential pardons."

Kara regarded the man before her. He looked like William Adama. He sounded like William Adama. But did he just say he had been pardoned by the President, in the same off-hand manner one would use to describe what he'd eaten for breakfast? Had she jumped back to some kind of bizarre alternate universe? Hot Dog had been telling the truth about it all? Surely that last thing he told her couldn't have been right. She had to know. "And…the part about Lee… being a Cy…" Kara trailed off as Adama confirmed this as well.

Seeing Kara's consternation, Bill attempted to explain."Valerii set him up somehow. It…it really looked like the Cylons had captured Lee and returned a clone in his place."

The light dawned for Kara. All those questions the commander had asked "Caprica" Sharon when they'd arrived.

"So I presume Boomer's in the brig now? Along with the other Sharon?"

A look of sadness crossed Adama's features. "Boomer's dead."

"She was airlocked already?" Kara expressed her disbelief.

"No. I sent marines to arrest her. They found her dead in her bunk. Gunshot wound to the head. Self-inflicted."

"Suicide? Are you sure?" Kara couldn't comprehend that her friend would do that, even though she wasn't really her friend. She was a machine. Would a machine kill itself?

"She left a note."

"A note?"

Adama pulled a small piece of paper from his pocket and wordlessly handed it to Kara.

She reached for it tentatively and recognized Sharon's handwriting.

_  
I can't live like this _

I don't want to be a Cylon – I'm not one of them. I can't be.

But I am.

I learned the truth on the basestar but I still tried to deny it.

I thought if I destroyed them I wouldn't hear the voices any more, that everything could be like it was.

I never meant to get Apollo involved. I'm not sure how that happened.

They want me to conceive a child with a human. I must have ignored the regs because of this. It wasn't something I realized at the time.

I think I'm responsible for what happened to the water storage tanks. I don't remember doing it but I know somehow that I did.

Now the voices are telling me to shoot the Commander. I can't do that, I won't. I'd rather die.

I'd rather shoot myself.

I'm sorry Galen. I do love you. Forever.

Goodbye.

Kara looked up after she'd finished reading, her eyes huge and filled with unshed tears. She handed the paper back to Adama and turned away, lost in her own thoughts. It had been such a shock seeing Sharon on Caprica and realizing that her friend was really her enemy. But seeing this...poor Tyrol! He must be devastated. And Boomer had been the one who'd blown up the water tanks? She'd never have suspected that. And everyone knew about the lieutenant's forbidden affair with the Chief, but to think it was some Cylon plot and not just true love that wouldn't be denied? She was revisited with the revulsion she felt when she saw Sharon on Caprica. How had she been friends with a machine?

Suddenly she remembered Lee. She had really expected him to be at this meeting. She took some deep breaths as she put the pieces together. Lee had been in the brig. For mutiny, no less. She still had trouble envisioning that scene with Lee and Colonel Tigh. Maybe he would tell her about it. But where was he? He had been pardoned by the president so he shouldn't still be in hack. Then it dawned on her. Until she'd arrived with Sharon, they'd thought Lee was a Cylon. What had happened to him?

She looked back at the Commander. "Where's Lee?" she asked quietly, almost afraid to hear the answer.

"Sick bay."

Kara didn't want to think about why he might be there. She continued to look up at Adama with wide eyes. "Why?" She asked, hoping she had guessed wrong.

Adama was getting a bit frustrated with Kara. Surely she knew why. He was still reeling from his visit with his son that morning. He didn't want to talk about what had been done to Lee. He didn't even want to think about it.

Adama's silence spoke volumes to Kara. She of all people would know what happened to Cylon prisoners aboard the fleet. She'd personally interrogated Leoben, after all. _Gods, is that what happened to Lee? _She quickly decided that there was no place in the universe she needed to be more than sick bay. She abruptly turned, almost running from the room.

"You're dismissed," Adama whispered after she was gone. He carefully folded Sharon's note and put it back in his pocket.

* * *

Kara entered sick bay and demanded Captain Adama's location from the first staff member she encountered. She was directed to a bed in the corner, curtained off from the others. 

She quietly entered, suddenly afraid of what she might find. She slowly approached the bed, taking in the bruises and cuts on Lee's face. Two of the larger cuts had been stitched up; the others glistened with some kind of ointment.

"Oh gods, Lee…" she gently reached out and lightly touched his face.

Lee startled awake and grabbed her wrist before she could pull it away.

Kara was taken off guard by his reaction; she had believed him to be sleeping soundly.

Lee blinked hard a couple of times, trying to fully awaken. His brain finally processed that it was Kara's arm he was holding. Kara. She was here. She was really here. He was touching her. He tightened his grip slightly just to prove to himself that she was real, that he wasn't dreaming. "Kara," he whispered, then pulled her into his arms. He embraced her tightly then suddenly kissed her before he had a chance to think about what he was doing.

Kara wouldn't have believed it possible for Lee to have taken her by surprise twice in two minutes, but it had just happened. She pulled back, shocked. They stared at each other in disbelief.

Lee was reeling from the scent of her hair, the feel of her body pressed against his, the closeness of her after he had all but given her up for dead. _Gods, did I just kiss her? _

Kara was stunned. Lee had been through hell. Lee wasn't angry with her. Lee was glad to see her. _Gods, did he just kiss me?_ She finally broke the silence. "I missed you too, Captain," she stammered. She had no idea what that kiss meant and she was in no state to try to figure it out, so she changed the subject. "Looks like I can't leave you alone for a minute," she smirked.

Lee was relieved by Kara's banter. He wasn't sure what he meant by the kiss either. "Yeah, I'm just a loose cannon," he smiled back.

"So…um…you really held a gun on the XO?"

"What was it you once said about striking a superior asshole? Maybe I'm just following your example." Lee grinned.

"Frak me, Adama, when you do something, you really go all the way!"

They both laughed. Lee was still overwhelmed with relief that Kara had returned safely and it was reassuring in a way he couldn't quite put his finger on to sit here and talk with her, like nothing had changed.

Kara had now had a bit more time to take in Lee's appearance. She had noticed his battered face at once but now she had seen his bandaged wrists and the bruises on his arms as well. She indicated them with an inclination of her head. "Hey, I'd hate to see the other guy."

"Oh you've seen him. He's the superior asshole." Lee normally wouldn't have dared refer to a senior officer in such a way, but he wasn't exactly feeling charitable towards the XO.

Kara's eyes widened at the reference. "You mean…TIGH did this?"

Lee's comfortable feeling was evaporating. He didn't want to have to explain his injuries to Kara. At least she already knew about the mutiny thing, he didn't think he could relive that.

"You mean the rumor mill's not working overtime about it?" He didn't quite succeed in keeping the bitterness out of his voice.

"I guess maybe they aren't over the whole "The CAG drew a gun on the XO" thing."

Lee smiled tightly. He wasn't proud of that, but now that he thought about it, it was probably a fantasy of half the people on the ship.

"So, um...you...don't think I'm a Cylon?" Lee tried to sound as if he were unconcerned with her reaction, but she saw the underlying fear and resentment.

"Lee," she began. "No one thinks you're a Cylon."

"I guess you really haven't heard," he responded bitterly.

Kara was confused and it showed. "Your father told me how Sharon set you up. Well, he didn't go into details, just that she made it look like the Cylons had replaced you with a clone. I can't imagine how she was so convincing, but now that she's dead, everyone knows the truth."

Lee was stunned. "What truth? And what do you mean, Sharon's dead? What the hell's going on?"

Kara's confusion grew. Lee didn't know about Sharon? She didn't know a whole lot but apparently she knew more than he did. She quickly decided that she should tell him everything. "Lee, Boomer's a Cylon. I found another copy of her on Caprica. She..." Kara was about to tell Lee about Helo when he interrupted her.

"So I was right! I was right about her all long!" Lee's fist clenched as he spoke.

"How did you know? I served with Boomer for two years and had no idea. How did you figure it out?"

Lee recounted his story of seeing Sharon with the centurions. Kara was shocked.

"So...you reported this and they didn't arrest her?"

He smiled bitterly. "It seems the commander was not interested in anything I had to say. Sharon and I were both tested by Baltar. My test showed I was a Cylon. Kara, it's not true! I'm not a Cylon!"

Kara was alarmed by the desperation in Lee's voice, and she had not missed his embittered reference to his father. She sought to reassure him. "I know. We all know. I told you, Sharon set you up somehow. Your father didn't tell me all the details…"

Lee interrupted again. 'You've talked to my...the commander about this?"

"He told me a little bit, not everything," Kara didn't fully understand Lee's anger. "Lee, my gods, they didn't really think that you were a…" her voice trailed off as Lee nodded and her worst fears were confirmed. Lee had been interrogated as a Cylon agent. By no less that Saul Tigh. Kara didn't think the universe could get any crazier. She hated it when the universe proved her wrong.

Lee wasn't used to silence from Kara. She just kept staring at him. After a few tense moments he decided it was time to get her talking again. "So...while you've been gone, the commander staged a coup, I tried to stop it, I got thrown in the brig, and I got accused of being a toaster. What have you been up to the last few weeks?"

Lee wouldn't have believed her if she'd told him that her story was worse. _Oh me? I got the crap beaten out of me, I got shot in the gut, got captured by Cylons, and they stole one of my ovaries. Then I had to euthanize a bunch of people I had come to care about. Oh, and I fell in love with this guy and had to leave him behind to die in a radioactive wasteland. Nothing much. Same old thing. _She was almost tempted to tell him some of it, but not only would it have been pretty insensitive of her to do so at that moment, but she wasn't ready to talk about the farm. Not with Lee. Not with anyone. Not now. Maybe not ever.

"I...um...found the Arrow," she managed with a small smile.

"No kidding. You really brought it back? I guess the President is turning cartwheels," Lee couldn't help smiling, but not at the thoughts of Laura doing gymnastics. Rather it was the idea that she might possibly have told his fa...the commander...that she was right and he was wrong.

Kara laughed, but not at the thoughts of Laura doing gymnastics, but rather in relief that they were now going to talk about something else. Anything else.

Kara told Lee everything that had happened in the planning meeting. She also told him a bit about Sharon and Helo. About how Sharon had helped them escape and how she was carrying Helo's child. How she was going to help them with the search for the tomb on Kobol. Lee wasn't pleased to hear this. He insisted a Cylon couldn't be trusted. Their raised voices drew the attention of a nurse who told them to keep it down or Kara would be shown the door. They promised to "be more considerate of the other patients" and resumed their conversation, albeit more quietly. Lee realized they weren't going to resolve the issue now so he dropped it but Kara knew better than to think he'd given up. Talking about Sharon had reminded Lee of Boomer. He asked for the details about her death, assuming as Kara had that she'd been airlocked. He was shocked to learn she'd killed herself before they'd even had a chance to interrogate her. He did wince inwardly at the thoughts of Tigh doing to Boomer what he had done to him, but wished they'd been able to get some more information.

Lee put together the pieces. Cottle's quip about Baltar's lax security, Kara saying Boomer had set him up, his father's earlier visit with every other word being "son." Somehow Boomer was responsible for his test result being Cylon, his father knew it, and now he felt guilty as hell. _Well good. Let the old man feel guilty. _And then Kara told him one more thing. If she'd known the significance of it, she'd have kept her mouth shut. She told him how her arrival with the other Sharon had been the key to discovering it all. Lee realized then that it was information his father had gotten from a Cylon that had caused him to rethink his orders. He hadn't had second thoughts about ordering his son's execution, he had found out from a Cylon that the technology their resident loony Cylon expert thought they had didn't exist.

Kara watched Lee. Now it was her turn to feel uncomfortable with the silence. She could tell he was more upset, but she didn't know why.

Lee wasn't going to talk to Kara about his feelings toward his father, so he changed the subject once more. "Well, I guess it's lucky for me you showed up when you did."

Kara didn't understand the full implications of that; she knew Lee had been beaten but not that he was nearly put out an airlock. But she responded to his hesitant statement in her typical fashion. "Hey, I've always got your six," she smiled.

Lee smiled back. Whatever else went wrong, they would always have each other. He reached out for her once again and they held each other for a long time, each taking comfort in the other's presence.


	9. Chapter 9

Adama was running. He didn't remember where he was going or how long he'd been running. He was out of breath, gasping for air. He had to keep going. He finally remembered why. Lee. He had to find Lee. He had to save Lee. His son was in mortal danger because he made the wrong decision. They were going to put Lee out the airlock, on HIS orders. He had to get there in time, he had to stop them. He kept running.

As he ran through the corridors, he faced one challenge after another. A passage was blocked with debris not yet cleaned up from when the Cylons had boarded the ship. He had to backtrack and go around. "Hang on, son, I'm coming!" He ran faster. He climbed stairs, worked to open blocked hatchways, and he ran. "Lee! Lee!" he called, knowing he was still too far away. He knew Galactica was big, but surely he should have gotten there by now. He paused to catch his breath, propping one hand up against the bulkhead. Cursing his weakness, he began to run again. He couldn't remember his way; all the corridors started to look the same. How could he not know his own ship? He came to an intersection and wasn't sure which way to go. He had to make a decision. The wrong one would cost his son his life. Panting, he looked down one corridor then the other, and finally took off down one of them. It had to be the right one. He had to get there, he had to get there in time. He couldn't lose another child, his only living child, his firstborn.

Finally, nearing exhaustion, he approached the airlock. He pushed himself to run even faster. "LEE!" he shouted. He came to the airlock. There were no guards, no Tigh, no Lee. Just a janitor with a broom. The man didn't even notice the Commander of the Fleet. He was in his own little world as he pushed his broom and whistled an old folk tune. Adama grabbed the man's shoulders and shook him out of his revelry. "Where's my son? Where's Lee?"

The man looked confused. "Sorry, Sir. I haven't seen your son. All I know is they put some Cylon out this airlock a while ago and wanted the area cleaned." Having answered the question, the man returned to his sweeping.

Adama looked around in horror. There was no trace of Lee, there was no trace of anyone. Dear gods, he was too late! "LEE!" he screamed in despair. His voice echoed through the empty corridor. The janitor was gone. He was alone there. "Lee, Lee, oh gods, Lee..." he sank to his knees weeping. A cold wind blew inexplicably through the corridor. This couldn't be happening, Lee couldn't be dead. Please no. He looked up again, hoping to see something different, but it was still the same. He saw the airlock, the door to the corridor securely locked and the outer door vented to space. He went to the door and tried to open it, but the pressure difference made that impossible. "LEE!" he shouted, as if he could call his son back from the icy blackness of space. "LEE!"

* * *

Bill startled awake and looked about his darkened quarters, for a moment not recognizing his surroundings. He realized it was just a dream but it still felt so real. He couldn't shake the feeling of despair he'd experienced, thinking his son was dead. He lay there in the darkness, trying to think of something else, but he could not.

Unbidden, the memories from the past few days flooded his mind. How he'd completely disregarded Lee's concerns about Sharon Valerii, going so far as to make disparaging remarks to Lee about sharing them. Why couldn't he have listened, at least considered that it was a possibility. He knew why. He'd been so damn proud of Boomer for destroying the basestar and so angry with Lee. _You're not my son. You're one of them,_ he'd told his son, right to his face that day in the lab. He winced as he remembered the cold hard edge to his voice. No wonder Lee was bitter. He remembered how insulted he had felt when the President had questioned his humanity. However, no one had taken that seriously. Well, maybe she had, but he'd joked with her about it. _If I'm a Cylon, you're really screwed, _he'd told her. He remembered Lee's shouts as he was hauled away from the lab. At the time, he had disregarded them, believing they came from an enemy agent. Now he realized his son had cried out to him for help and he had ignored it. Logically, he knew he did the only thing he could have under the circumstances, but now he wondered why he didn't insist on more evidence before he ordered Lee interrogated and executed. Again he thought about how helpless Lee must have felt, being thrown into that airlock. He shook his head. This wasn't getting him anywhere. He couldn't change what had happened. But he felt an overwhelming desire to see his son, to touch him, to reassure himself that his dream was not reality. He knew Lee must be sleeping; he just wanted to see him. He wouldn't wake him. Having determined he would indulge his paternal need, he threw on some tanks and headed to sick bay.

As expected, it was dark and quiet there. He hoped the personnel on duty were busy elsewhere. He planned to quietly approach Lee's bedside, spend a moment there and then slip away, with no one the wiser. He knew Lee wouldn't welcome his presence and neither would the staff. He carefully pulled back the curtains. Lee was tossing and turning fitfully. Adama remembered the doctor saying Lee was having nightmares. Guess that makes two of us, he thought sardonically. He hadn't planned to wake his son, but he couldn't let Lee remain trapped in his dreams, nor did he want Lee to wake alone and afraid. He decided he would risk his son's anger on the chance that he could offer him solace. He shook Lee's arm and called his name quietly, then a bit louder when Lee failed to awaken.

Lee's nightmare was one he'd had before. It began with him in the brig being beaten into unconsciousness, and then he woke in sick bay and found himself under the care of Doctor Tigh.

_He struggled to free himself from his restraints before Tigh could stab him with the needle. This time he managed to get one hand loose. Working furiously, he ripped off the other restraints. Hands grabbed at one of his arms. He jerked it free, pushed the person away, and jumped off the table, poised to flee. _

Adama was shocked when Lee wrenched out of his grip and practically leaped out of the bed. He lost his balance when Lee pushed against him and stepped back, knocking over a nearby metal tray. The noise didn't awaken Lee but alerted the staff that something was amiss.

Layne Ishay and Howard Kim were restocking supplies when they heard a clatter. They hurried to investigate what had happened. They were taken aback to find Commander Adama standing near an overturned bedside tray and Captain Adama out of bed.

Lee was half-asleep and was still living in his dream experience. When the medics took his arms in an attempt to help him back onto the bed, he believed them to be Tigh's marines, there to restrain him again. He struggled to free himself.

"I've got him, go get a tranquilizer," Kim told Ishay. "Captain! Calm down," he tried to get through to the frightened man in his grip.

"NO!" Lee shouted. "I'm not a Cylon! Dad! DAD! I'm not a Cylon!"

Bill was horrified. He wasn't sure if Lee was actually speaking to him or a dream image. He quickly stepped over to his son's side. "Lee. It's okay," he forced himself to speak calmly in an attempt to quell his son's fear. "You're not a Cylon. You're safe."

Lee still wasn't fully awake and his dream was mixing with reality. Had his father come to help Tigh with the interrogation? He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. This action woke him enough that he looked around, confused. Lee stopped fighting and blinked a few times, breathing rapidly.

"He's awake now. Let him go." Bill instructed, but Kim wasn't taking orders from a visitor, despite him being the commander. He couldn't risk the patient's safety.

Lee remembered his dream this time. He was quite relieved to be awake but realized he'd been shouting out loud and felt pretty embarrassed about it. "I...ah...I'm okay," he tried to convince himself as well as the medic.

Kim still wasn't certain, but he loosened his grip tentatively as Ishay returned with a syringe.

Lee quickly took stock of the situation. He knew that if he made one wrong move now, he'd be held down and given that medication and he was quite sure he would lose it completely if they did that. It would be too much like his nightmare. He forced himself to stay completely still. He spoke again, this time sounding much more confident that he felt. "I'm okay. I'm sorry I bothered you. I guess I was...dreaming."

Seeing as the Captain sounded rational, the medic released his hold, but continued to keep a hand on him to assist him back into bed. He and Ishay exchanged a knowing glance.

"Lee," Bill reached for his son, also wanting to help.

Lee recoiled from him. "Leave me alone!"

"Calm down, Captain. No one's going to hurt you," Ishay soothed, reaching back into her pocket where she'd stashed the medication.

"Sir, you need to leave. Visiting hours were over long ago," Kim spoke calmly but firmly.

"I'm not leaving my son," Adama insisted.

"Oh, I'm your son now?" Lee sneered. "Because Sharon said so? Sharon the Cylon? You'll listen to Sharon the Cylon!"

"Sir. Go. Now." Kim said, tightening his grip on Lee's shoulders.

"Please, Commander. You're just making it worse. Let us take care of him," Ishay added.

Reluctantly, Bill backed away, but he couldn't bear to leave just yet. He left Lee's bedside, but remained in sick bay, out of sight but close enough to hear what was happening with Lee.

Lee's gaze was fixed on his father's retreating form as the medics helped him lie back down on the bed. He was still breathing fast. Ishay uncapped the syringe and pulled Lee's arm towards her.

"No!" Lee pulled away.

"Captain, it's all right. It won't hurt. I'm going to put it in your IV."

Lee shook his head, that wasn't the reason for his objection. "No, I...I don't need that. I'm okay." He looked up at her earnestly.

"Your pulse and respiratory rate tell a different story, Captain," Kim responded. "This will just help you relax."

"Cottle won't let me out of here tomorrow if you give me that," Lee confessed the true reason for his aversion to the medicine. Besides that it reminded him of his dream. He wouldn't be sharing that little detail, though.

This seemed to satisfy both the medics; some sedatives did require twenty-four hour monitoring afterwards due to residual effects. If Lee was coherent enough to think of that, he was lucid enough to be reasoned with rather than restrained. However, he remained agitated so they still thought he could use a little chemical help.

"It won't affect your discharge," Ishay explained. "It's only a mild tranquilizer. It will just help you to calm down. It should keep you from dreaming as well."

That last part caught Lee's attention. Okay, that didn't sound like a bad idea. "You're sure the doctor won't think I need more...observation or something?"

"If the doctor wanted to observe everyone who had nightmares, we'd have to convert this whole battlestar into a hospital ship," Kim replied, only half joking.

Lee took some deep breaths. He was pretty sure he could calm down without any "help" but the idea of sleeping without nightmares was tempting. He extended his arm towards Ishay. "Okay," he whispered.

Bill was surprised at how easily his son had been talked into something he was totally opposed to a few minutes earlier._ Why can't I do that? _He wondered.

Layne pushed the medication in slowly so it wouldn't sting. Lee expected to feel the fuzzy numbness that accompanied morpha injections. That was another reason he hadn't wanted it. But he didn't experience that. He just felt…calm. He wasn't upset any more about his dream, or Tigh, or even his father. Nothing seemed very important. Nothing at all.

"Better?" Layne asked, watching the tension fade away from the Captain's features as his breathing slowed.

"Yeah," Lee said quietly. "Thanks." Lee licked his lips a bit self-consciously. "I...um...don't usually...um..."

"Don't think anything of it. It happens all the time. People are injured and in pain, they relieve it in their dreams, then wake up in unfamiliar surroundings and become disoriented. We're used to it."

She said it so matter-of-factly that Lee believed her without doubt. _Thank the gods they don't think I'm a nut case. _He closed his eyes and settled down, relishing the feeling of tranquility he now enjoyed.

Ishay turned to pick up the fallen tray and muttered to herself, "What in the worlds was the commander doing down here at this hour?"

"Guilt."

She rose up abruptly. She had believed the captain to be sleeping. He opened his eyes at her movement. He knew it was a rhetorical question, but he hadn't been able to help himself. Seeing her questioning look, he elaborated, speaking more slowly and loudly than normal. "He screwed up. Now he feels guilty. Well, he's just going have to live with it. That's what he told me once, you know. 'A man takes responsibility for his actions, right or wrong. He accepts the consequences and lives with them. Every day.' That's what he said. Let's see if that's what he meant." A small part of Lee marveled that he was talking so impassively about something he didn't even realize he was consciously aware of. However, the remainder of his brain seemed to believe Ishay was his new best friend and he drawled on as if he were sitting in a bar before the holocaust, discussing sports or the weather.

Bill froze. He vaguely remembered saying that to Lee but didn't remember when. He was shocked that his son would quote him; he had no idea his son found so much significance in his words.

"I still have nightmares about that too." Lee confided. "I can see their faces at the window as I blow them out of the sky." His voice trailed away as he drifted off.

_The Olympic Carrier_. He had all but forgotten and Lee still dreamed about it? He had no idea. Why hadn't Lee told him? _Gods isn't that obvious?_ Lee had tried to talk to him about it back then and he'd told his son to get over it. Well, not in so many words, but that was the message. Don't bother taking your problems to the old man; he's no help. That's what Lee had gotten out of that conversation. Maybe what he had perceived as their newfound closeness was all just his wishful thinking. He wondered what else he'd said to Lee that his son had found worthy of memory.

He waited until he was sure the medics were gone and he stepped out of the shadows and peered though a small opening in the curtains surrounding Lee's bed.

Lee was sleeping peacefully; the lines of stress were gone from his face. Bill was reminded of his son as a young child. He remembered watching his boys sleep and thinking they looked almost like cherubs, so innocent...although they certainly didn't act that way when they were awake. His memories turned to noise and dirt. Then he remembered why he'd come here; he'd wanted to reassure himself that his son was alive so he could forget his dream and get some sleep. He'd been quite successful with the former objective, but had a feeling he was going to fail miserably with the latter. Stepping away from the gap in the curtains, the commander dejectedly headed back to his quarters to try and live up to those words he'd said to his son.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N - The line "With support troops like these, who needs Cylons" is from TOS episode "The Living Legend."

* * *

The next morning, Lee was released from sick bay. He was still a bit sore, but all his test results were normal, including the repeat brain scan Cottle had insisted on before certifying him fit for duty. Lee made a quick trip to his quarters for a uniform and then headed to CIC to report to the Officer of the Deck. When he reached the hatch he took a deep breath and straightened his tunic. He looked around for a brief moment, marveling in the normalcy he saw there. _What, did you think everyone else's lives came to a screeching halt just because yours did? Nope, Captain. It's the same old same old._ He cleared his head of those thoughts and entered CIC. 

"Captain Adama reporting for duty, Sir." He sharply saluted as he formally reported his change in status. The deck officer responded accordingly and placed a notation in the ship's log.

Lee felt a moment of dread in the pit of his stomach as he noticed Colonel Tigh at the dradis console. For a brief second he pictured Tigh in the lab coat turning around and…

Lee's dream image disappeared as Colonel Tigh actually turned around and addressed him. "So you're back on duty. Well, there's plenty to do. Get to work on the flight roster for the rest of this week, and next week as well. I want status reports on the ships down for repairs, and there's a mission update at 1400 hours in the briefing room."

Lee swallowed and nodded as his took all that in. Guess the XO isn't harboring any private regrets, Lee thought. Not that he was expecting the man to beg his forgiveness or anything, but some acknowledgement of remorse might have been nice. He imagined Tigh trying to say something like that. _'Sorry I had so much fun beating you up.'_ He almost smirked at the thought. _Nope. The only regret Tigh might have is that he didn't get to finish me off. _He realized Tigh must have been stuck with most of the duties of CAG during his absence and was all too happy to give up the extra responsibility. He managed to salute the man and headed for his office, grateful he had a reason to leave at once. He wasn't ready for any extended discussions with the XO.

* * *

Lee arrived in the briefing room early. He had finished the rosters and checked on the damaged ships. Tyrol had assured him that repairs were progressing on schedule. Most would be back in service in less than a week. He hadn't had any problems with the deck crew but he was nervous about addressing the pilots. Would they be willing to accept him after everything that had happened? He had worked so hard to earn their respect and trust when he was first made CAG. Would he be able to regain it now? He stood at the podium and shuffled his notes. "Just give the briefing. Just give the briefing," he said quietly to himself as clenched and unclenched his hands a few times to try and make them stop shaking. He stopped abruptly and looked up as a group of pilots entered. It wouldn't do for them to find their CAG talking to himself. _Their mutinous Cylon CAG..._

"Hey, it's true! Apollo's back!"

"Thank the gods!"

"Welcome back, Sir!"

"Apollo! Great to see you!"

"We've missed you, Apollo!"

They all spoke at once. Lee was overwhelmed with their open expressions of support. He didn't have to worry about how to restore their confidence in him; he'd never lost it. He didn't know what to say. He held up his hands to get them to stop. He tried to wipe the grin off his face but it kept popping back out and his cheeks colored slightly. Finally he composed himself enough to trust his voice. "Thanks. It's...ah...good to be back." He smiled self-consciously, licked his lips nervously, and looked over the room. Several other pilots had joined them and were also vocal in their relief at having Lee back. They applauded his little impromptu speech and spent a few more moments in spirited chatter before he managed to get their attention again and get down to the business at hand.

After the briefing, he headed for his quarters. Kara was there, sitting on her bunk playing with a pyramid ball.

Lee was curious as to where she'd gotten it, and couldn't resist the temptation. He stealthily approached her and snatched it away.

Kara was not impressed. "Can I have my ball back?"

"What, I can't hold it?" Lee was not fazed by her irritation and was being playful.

Kara sighed. She was in no mood for this. "Can I have my ball back, please?"

"Where'd you get a pyramid ball, anyway?" Lee kept playing with the ball, keeping it out of her reach.

"Caprica. Can I have my ball back, Lee?" Kara was quickly moving from annoyed to angry. The ball was all she had left of Sam. Somehow she didn't want Lee touching it. She couldn't think about Lee and Sam at the same time; that hurt her brain.

"Yeah, sure," he responded. He'd give the ball back, as soon as he was done playing with it. Besides, it wasn't usually this easy to get a rise out of Starbuck and he wasn't about to let the opportunity slip away.

"Lee?"

Lee of course, had no idea of the ball's significance, and continued to keep it out of Kara's reach.

Finally she became exasperated. She wasn't going to beg him for it. "Keep it," she said flatly, turning away from him.

Lee was taken aback. What was the big deal? "Hey, come on, Kara. For frak's sake, I'm just kidding around. All right, here, it's all yours. You can take your ball and go home now."

"The whole thing's stupid anyway," she snorted.

Lee wasn't sure what to make of this. What was Kara so upset about? "What's up with you, Kara? Anything you want to talk about?"

"Nope." _Not with you, Lee. _

After Kara had visited him in sick bay, Lee had had a chance to think about what she might have been through while she was gone. She hadn't really said much about it, though. "Hmm. It must have been hard, being back on Caprica. Being home. Probably saw some tough things back there. Anyway, tomorrow this whole thing is going to end, one way or another. We find the tomb or we don't. We find a way to earth or we don't. I just want you to know, Kara, that I'm your friend. I love you. If there's anything you want to talk about, anything you want to get off your chest, then I'm here for you. Anyway... whenever you want to talk, just let me know."

Kara didn't want to talk about what she'd seen on Caprica, not with Lee, not with anyone. How could she get him off this subject and..._wait just one frakkin' minute_! "What was that middle part again?"

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Lee was truly unaware of what he'd let slip.

"Did you say you love me?" She could not possibly have heard what she had just heard.

Lee smiled ridiculously, like when he was in tenth grade and tried to ask Sarah Breckenridge to the harvest festival dance. It was as if the Cylons had sent a virus to his brain that scrambled all his intelligent thoughts and he ended up babbling like an idiot. "Well, um..."

"Lee Adama loves me!" Kara was not missing the opportunity to turn the tables on Lee and tease him now. She also could not begin to contemplate that statement in a serious way, so she dealt with it with humor, like she always did.

Lee laughed nervously. "No, all I meant was..." _Ohgods ohgods ohgods ohgods, why did I say that? Why was I even thinking that? Holy frak!_

"No, seriously, very sweet. You love me." Kara actually had no idea whether she wanted this to be true or not, but she could tell the admission was an accidental one and she wondered if she could force Lee to declare the truthfulness of it. If not, she would tease him mercilessly.

"No, you love me. You can't take it back. There's no take-backs."

"You're dreaming it, Kara." Lee couldn't explain his words, so denial was the next best option.

"You love me."

"You're dreaming it."

"You love me."

"Dreamer," he called out as he walked away.

"Mm-hmm. Okay," she replied, not knowing if he heard her. _Holy frak, what was that all about? He couldn't have REALLY meant it, could he?_

* * *

"Captain, you've just been released from sick bay. You don't belong planetside on a dangerous mission," Bill tried to justify to his son the reason he had not been assigned to the team going to Kobol. Lee had brought the latest tactical data on Kobol to the Commander's quarters and along with it, his resentment at not being chosen to go there. 

"I've been certified fit for duty, without restriction. That means any duty. I'm perfectly capable of going. Or do you not trust me?" Lee added that last as a deliberate jab.

"Of course I trust you," Adama responded almost automatically, then sought to justify his reasoning. "I just think it would be best if you didn't overexert yourself so soon."

Lee was getting angrier by the minute. He was not going to be kept off this mission because of a few bruises.

"Kara was hurt too; you don't have a problem with her going."

"Kara found the Arrow and brought it back. It's her right to see this through to the end." Why was Lee bringing Kara into this?

"Kara disobeyed orders and took a military asset on an unauthorized mission. How was she disciplined?"

Bill was taken off guard. It hadn't even occurred to him. He had spent his anger in the ill-fated coup attempt and by the time Kara returned he was just thankful to have her back.

Before he could come up with a suitable response, Lee had continued his tirade, becoming more and more irate. "What if Kara had been the one to put a gun to Tigh's head? You wouldn't have humiliated her in front of everyone in CIC!"

Lee was never good at handling emotional pain and usually coped by channeling it into anger. He'd done it after Zak died, he'd done it when Kara slept with Baltar, and now it was happening again. Suddenly his formal military bearing was gone and he was a furious man, directing his anger at the most convenient target.

"What is it about Kara? Is it just because she was Zak's fiancée? Or is she the daughter you never had? Was I supposed to be Lee Evelyn instead of Lee Joseph?" Lee had no idea where that came from; he'd never thought that before but his mouth was about two steps ahead of his brain at this point and he was sick and tired of watching Kara get away with things that he'd have been called on the carpet for.

Bill's eyes widened. Did Lee really think that? Did he favor Kara that blatantly? He suddenly remembered another time where Lee seemed to think he did. Bill hadn't just bent the rules for Kara, he had shattered them in a desperate attempt to rescue her. _"And if it was me down there instead?"_ Lee had asked, much to Bill's consternation. Between the lines was the Lee's belief that he wasn't worth as much as Kara, that he wasn't loved as much. Bill thought he had set his son straight on that point right then, but apparently not. Or maybe recent events had caused Lee to once again doubt his father's love for him.

Lee was unaware of his father's thoughts and interpreted his silence as anger. He knew he had been insubordinate as well as disrespectful, thus offending both his father and his commander. He presumed his father was now torturing him with silence as he'd done back on that that day in CIC, and would soon launch a verbal attack of his own. However, Lee was not sorry for anything he said. Although he didn't actually think his father had wished he'd been born a girl, he did believe Kara was his father's favorite. He was in no mood to listen to anything his father might have to say at this point and as they were in private this time, he didn't have to put up a proper military front. He decided that since he'd started this he may as well go all the way. His anger crystallized into bitter resolve and his eyes glinted like ice.

"You know what? It doesn't matter. You can just go on pretending you're Kara's father, you can adopt her for all I care!" With that, he turned on his heel and left his father's quarters, before he could say anything even worse and before his father had a chance to stop him. He could face disciplinary action for leaving without being dismissed but he didn't care. Subconsciously, he was testing Bill Adama, to see if he would react as a father or as a commander but he was aware only of the burning fury in his soul.

Bill Adama was dumbstruck when Lee left without being dismissed. Lee had never done that. He felt a flash of anger and wanted to call him back, force him to follow protocol, then he realized with horror that Kara had done almost the same thing and he hadn't given it a second thought. Was Lee right? Did he let Kara get away with too much?

He hadn't heard that much coldness and bitterness in his son's voice since…since after the funeral. And when Lee first came aboard for the decommissioning ceremony. Lee was well-aware of the power of a scathing retort and used it to his advantage. Bill had learned enough about Lee to know that there was a lot of pain behind those angry words, but it didn't make them hurt any less.

He sat at his desk, removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He felt he had failed his son once again._ Lee thinks I don't trust him. Because of the fiasco with Sharon or because of the mutiny, maybe both._ He decided the reason didn't matter, just the belief. How could he convince his son otherwise? He nodded dejectedly to himself as the only solution presented itself. He searched his desk for the mission roster and carefully added one more name.

* * *

That afternoon in CIC, crew members often had to repeat themselves when speaking to the commander. His mind was on other things. He kept replaying the conversation with Lee over and over again in his head, trying to recall events that would make his son believe he preferred Kara over him. At first he couldn't think of a single one. Well, other than letting her off the hook for mutiny, but she was following the President's orders, so she didn't technically mutiny. She wasn't aware of the agreement he had with Roslin for her not to assume the powers of the military Commander in Chief. Then there was the search for Kara when she'd crashed on the moon, but he'd addressed that with Lee at the time, assuring him that he would have done as much if not more to find his son if he were lost. Then as he thought further, he remembered more details. Things he'd paid no attention to before, like the words he'd said to Lee after the Olympic Carrier incident. 

He remembered Lee's painful silence when Kara recounted the story of his one thousandth landing. Surely he'd told that story to Lee? But Lee didn't seem to know it. He didn't think anything of it at the time, he'd actually not remembered telling it to Kara, but she knew every detail. Lee didn't. Envisioning the scene in his memory, he saw it from Lee's point of view. He must have felt very left out.

Then there was that discussion with the President after the crisis on the Astral Queen. They'd both talked about him in the third person, as if he weren't standing right there with them. Then he'd accused Lee of choosing sides. Lee had chosen the side of the law. He did what he did not to support the President or the Commander, but because of his oath to defend the Articles of Colonization. He'd said as much in his defense that day, but Adama hadn't listened. He'd been too preoccupied with trying to make sure he had more power that the newly-formed government. And of course, supporting those damned articles was Lee's justification for mutiny as well. He remembered how many times he'd told his sons the importance of doing what was right because it was right, not because it was what you wanted. Some more of his paternal words of wisdom that Lee had apparently taken to heart.

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice. He looked over at the tactical officer. "Yes, Mr. Gaeta?"

When he'd dealt with the matter brought to his attention, his thoughts had returned to his son. How could he ever possibly reach Lee through the impenetrable walls his son had erected?

* * *

Lee was taken aback when he'd received an updated mission roster. He was certain he had ruined whatever chance he had of going on the mission with his disgraceful display of emotion. He still wasn't sure he wouldn't suffer the consequences for how he'd behaved. He decided it was all rooted in his unrealistic expectations. He had learned long ago to not expect anything from his father. He wasn't going to be there, so why set yourself up for disappointment, hoping he would. Since the holocaust, he'd began to trust his father...to expect things from him. He wouldn't make that mistake again. 

When he reported to the commander that evening with the final mission plans, he stood nervously, not knowing what kind of reception awaited him.

He knocked and was told to enter. He saluted and waited to be spoken to. Was Adama going to let him have it? Was he expecting an apology? Lee stood at attention and waited.

Bill studied his son. He wasn't up to another confrontation like they'd had earlier. He would never tell Lee the real reason he'd kept him off the mission. Because he himself was going and he didn't want their personal problems to interfere with the mission. He held out his hand. "Your report?"

Lee wordlessly handed it over. The two of them studied each other, not sure what to do next. Finally Lee broke the silence. "Permission to speak freely, Sir?"

Bill's internal defenses went to Condition One. What was Lee going to say now? He flashed back to Lee's drug-induced confession in sick bay. _He wants to see if I can live with my decisions. I have to show him that I can. _"Granted," he responded impassively.

"It is against regulations for me to serve under your command. I realize of course that under the present circumstances there is no alternative. However, regulations are made for a purpose. As we cannot alter our military assignment at this time, I feel there is no choice but to alter any other association which might interfere with our duties. From now on, our relationship should be that of a CAG to a commander. I will expect no more and no less."

Bill felt something inside him twist cruelly upon hearing Lee's words. What was he supposed to say to that? Okay, I won't be your father anymore? _No! _He wanted to shout, but instead he did what he thought Lee wanted. "Very well, Captain. I'll see you on the hanger deck in the morning. Team assembly at 0730, mission launch at 0800."

"Yes, sir," Lee responded, saluted, and left. Once outside the hatch, he took a moment to think about what had just happened. The commander hadn't said a word to him about his earlier lack of decorum and didn't seem upset by his request that they maintain a solely professional relationship from now on. _Maybe that's what he wants. He doesn't want me for a son. Okay, then. _Lee determined that he would conduct himself in a manner befitting a Colonial Warrior and give Adama the respect he deserved as his commanding officer, but he would not allow anything personal between them, even when they were off duty.

* * *

Saul Tigh was concerned about Bill Adama. He'd seemed distracted all day. Saul knew he had been worried about Lee, but that was behind them now. He thought maybe a drink or two would help. After he'd finished his rotation, he showed up at his friend's door with a bottle of ambrosia. It was a little late but he was sure Bill would still be up. 

"I...ah...happened to have this, and thought maybe you'd like to share." Tigh said when Adama opened the hatch.

Adama produced two glasses and Tigh poured. The two men sat on the couch and drank silently for a bit.

"I was wondering. Is everything okay?"

Bill didn't answer at first. He drank the contents of his glass and refilled it. "Lee's not really doing very well."

"Oh come on, Bill. I didn't hit him that hard. He ought to be fine by now."

Adama glared at his friend. He'd hit Lee hard enough to tear his liver and break bones. That wasn't his son's problem, though. He leaned back against the cushions and stared at the ceiling.

"I don't mean physically. He feels betrayed, hurt that I could actually believe he was a Cylon."

"What were you supposed to think? Baltar's test showed 100 Cylon. Who'd have guessed Valerii switched the labels. Plus there was the circumstantial evidence. Boomer just blew up a basestar. Apollo just committed mutiny. Which one would you suspect of being a Cylon?"

Adama pressed his lips into a thin line. "I know. But that doesn't make it easier."

"He's lucky he's not facing a court martial. I could still charge him with assault you know."

"I thought you were trying to help, here," Bill scowled. "Besides, the President has pardoned him. You can't charge him for the same offense, that's double jeopardy."

"I forgot your old man was a lawyer." Tigh muttered. He was just trying to point out that the kid should be grateful he wasn't still in the brig and move on.

The two men sat quietly for awhile, nursing their drinks. Adama wondered why he'd bothered discussing his concerns about Lee with Saul. His friend never liked Lee that well anyway. He absently wondered why. Lee had never done anything to him. He smiled wryly to himself. Until recently, of course.

Tigh was wondering why he'd even asked Bill about his personal problems. He supposed he felt obligated, as they were friends. However, he didn't really want to know, nor did he care, about whatever was going on with Lee. Kids just seemed more trouble that they were worth. He was glad Ellen hadn't wanted any. He sure as hell didn't. He decided to change the subject.

"Bill, I don't think you should go on the mission. It's too risky. We need you here."

"We need me there more. This is something the President and I have to do together."

Saul could see his friend's mind was made up and he knew him well enough to know he would not be swayed once he'd come to a final decision. "Well, at least take a larger marine contingent. The gods only know what..."

Bill interrupted him. "I'm only going to take people who are absolutely necessary. Don't try to argue with me, Saul. There's been enough bloodshed, enough loss."

Tigh nodded. There wasn't really anything else he could say. He dreaded the idea of command for himself. He hoped it was a very temporary situation. He didn't want to even consider the possibility that Bill wouldn't come back.

"Well, I guess I'd better call it a night," Bill finally said, ending the evening. "Thanks for the ambrosia. And the company," he added, knowing Saul was trying to make an overture of friendship and that such displays weren't easy for him.

Saul downed the remainder of the green liquid in his glass and stood. "Goodnight, Bill."

Bill nodded and closed the hatch as Saul left. He had thought he might get some paperwork done this evening, but now all he wanted to do was sleep. He took a moment to clear away the glasses before he got into bed. He wondered briefly if anyone else had noticed that he seemed preoccupied. He decided he didn't care. He wasn't looking forward to this mission at all. He was going off into known Cylon territory to search for something that in all likelihood didn't exist. On a cursed planet. And he was doing it with an inexperienced politician whom he had publicly disparaged, a raptor pilot who was really a Cylon, her ECO who'd knocked her up, and two viper pilots who'd committed mutiny, one of them his own son who now wanted nothing to do with him. _With support troops like these, who needs Cylons?_


	11. Chapter 11

Bill Adama awoke in a cold sweat, breathing hard. _Gods it was just a dream. _Frak, but it had felt real. He could still vividly feel the desperation he felt as he ran through the corridors, the despair he felt when he discovered he was too late. He wiped a hand down his face, rubbing at his eyes, trying to wake himself a bit more. _It was just a dream,_ he tried telling himself again. _It was just a dream. _

Unfortunately he knew that it could easily have NOT been a dream. If Starbuck hadn't showed up when she did, if she hadn't brought that frakkin' Cylon back with her, it could have happened. He could have killed his son. And why did he go to the lab first? Why didn't he just go to Lee? Saul was seconds away from doing it when he arrived. Gods, SECONDS! And it was Saul's hand, but it was his order. He was the one who said to put it out the airlock. Gods, "it." He'd called Lee "it" like he wasn't even human. Wasn't even alive. The horror of his dream had not faded and now he was faced with the horror of his reality as well. No wonder Lee didn't want anything to do with him now. Why hadn't he ordered a more thorough investigation, a repeat test, something. "I'm sorry, Lee," he whispered, wishing he had the courage to say it when his son could hear.

Bill lay back down but after a few moments realized it was a lost cause. He got up and went to his desk, intending to work since he couldn't sleep. His eyes were drawn to the picture on his desk of himself with Lee and Zak at the spaceport. He reached for it and carefully picked it up. He thought back to that day, so long ago. He could still remember it, he could even hear their voices...

* * *

Dad! Is it time to go yet?" Zak's excited voice rang through the house. "Is it? Is it?" He danced around as he spoke, tugging at his father's sleeve. 

Bill couldn't help but smile at his son's enthusiasm. "Almost. Where's your brother?" He expected Zak to go and find Lee but instead the child simply bellowed his brother's name. Bill cringed at the noise. "No, son. I could have done that." At that moment Lee appeared, dressed like his brother in the miniature flight suits Bill had bought for them at the PX. Caroline had chided him about spoiling the boys with gifts after he'd been away for too long. She didn't want them to see him as only a source of presents, and she didn't want him to think he could buy their love. However, he didn't heed her advice and this trip home he had brought the boys authentic flight suits, complete with insignia and wings. They had been thrilled. When they learned he was taking them to the spaceport they had been so excited. They had asked if they could wear their "uniforms" and he had gladly given permission.

Bill smiled, remembering how much they'd idolized him. He took it for granted back then. He had been so self-satisfied as they'd toured the spaceport. Several people had commented on how Bill must be so proud to have two fine sons, how great the boys looked in their suits and a couple of guys had even saluted them. The boys had eaten that up. His chest swelled as he watched them try to return a proper salute.

He'd taken them out on the tarmac to see a viper up close. "This is a Mark II, boys. It's the fastest thing ever designed by man. This baby's got a Voram VM2-D15 upper turbothrust engine, two Voram VM3-D22 turbothrust engines and two reverse thrust motors. It can flip end for end in .35 seconds," he recited as the boys stood wide-eyed and slack-jawed. "One day you'll fly one too," he told them with certainty.

He remembered seeing the small press contingent on the tarmac. One of them noticed the Adamas and came over. "Sir, do you mind if I get a shot of you and your boys?" Of course, he was happy to oblige. He was sure it would be a great PR shot, with them all dressed alike. Zak was grinning almost ridiculously as the camera flashed.

In fact, he _was_ proud to have two fine sons. He wasn't a particularly religious man, but he figured he must have done something to please the gods to be given not just one but two boys. Of course, a girl would have been fine, but he had hoped for sons. Boys he could train to be men. Men who would make him proud, who would carry on the family name, who would become great warriors. Great pilots. "A man's not a man 'til he wears the wings of a viper pilot," he'd told them as he'd pinned the plastic wings on their lapels.

* * *

That thought snapped Bill out of his revelry. Trying to live up to that expectation had caused Zak's death. Bill sighed. He'd been so focused on his failings with Lee he hadn't considered where he might have gone wrong with Zak. He stopped himself before he got any further. What he did or didn't do wrong with Zak was irrelevant; there was no way to rectify past mistakes now that Zak was gone. No point in wasting time wondering what those mistakes were. He tried to recapture his earlier feelings of nostalgia. He looked at another picture on his desk, this one of the boys at about the same age, but with Caroline smiling between them. How he longed to have those boys back.

* * *

Helo, Kara, Lee, and Tyrol alighted from the raptor and immediately set up a defensive parameter. When it appeared there was no immediate Cylon threat they indicated for the other members of the team to disembark. Commander Adama went first, followed by President Roslin, flanked by Billy and Elosha. Sharon, in chains, brought up the rear, along with her marine guard. 

Laura Roslin was obviously moved by standing on the almost mythical world. "Kobol," she breathed. "We're really here."

"Remember Madam President, the scriptures warn that any return to Kobol carries a price," Elosha cautioned.

"Maybe we shouldn't have come here," Billy whispered.

"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles. It empties today of its strength," the priestess admonished.

Laura nodded. "We should pray for wisdom."

"We do not receive wisdom. We must discover it from experiences which no one else can have for us and from which no one else can spare us." Elosha declared.

Roslin considered those words and nodded. "Very well. What should we pray for then?"

"Guidance. Humility. Strength. Courage." Elosha replied and bowed her head. "Help us, lords of Kobol. Help your prophet Laura guide us to the path of righteousness. That we might...that we might destroy our enemies. Let us walk the path of righteousness and lift our faces unto your goodness. Help us turn away from the calls of the wicked and show us the knowledge of your certain salvation. We offer this prayer."

"So say we all," the others intoned, and then they set out along the path they had mapped out, with Sharon and Helo in the lead.

Bill wondered if the change of scenery might be an avenue to reach out to Lee. "Nice to breathe fresh air," he commented to his son as they walked.

"Sir. If you say so, sir." Lee responded flatly.

Bill frowned at even that innocuous remark being rebuffed, but didn't comment.

They walked for the better part of the day, struggling with the terrain and the underbrush. Billy had doubts whether Sharon would really help them. He wondered if they were being led into a Cylon trap. However, the President seemed to trust Sharon, and he trusted the President, so he kept his thoughts to himself.

"Eleven o'clock. Twenty degrees elevation. There's a formation of twin rocks up ahead," Sharon pointed out, gesturing as best she could with her wrists shackled.

"Yeah, I've got it," Helo responded.

"I think those are the Gates of Hera," Sharon explained.

"You think?" Kara wasn't very happy with the intel for this mission. Or rather, the lack thereof.

Sharon sighed, frustrated with everyone's distrust of her, although she knew why it existed. "I'm putting together a lot of pieces from a lot of sources beyond your scriptures. If I'm right, that's the spot where your god supposedly stood and watched Athena throw herself down o­nto the rocks below out of despair over the exodus of the thirteen tribes."

"Supposedly? I thought the Cylons believed in the gods," Billy let some of his doubt surface.

"Yeah, don't get her started," Kara retorted. "They believe in o­ne true god or something like that."

"And we don't worship false idols." Sharon snipped back.

"You were quick enough to come o­n this mission." Lee spoke up. "Lead us all to some tomb o­nly actually mentioned in our false scriptures."

Sharon wanted to roll her eyes but stopped herself. "We know more about your religion than you do. Athena's Tomb, whoever and whatever she really was, is probably up there. That part is true."

"Madam President, we won't make it up there before nightfall," Kara said.

"Let's go, see how far we get." Roslin was determined that this mission would succeed. It had to; it was her purpose in life.

As they hiked along, Kara couldn't help but notice Lee's strict military demeanor. Once when they'd stopped for a water break, she'd dared to approach him. "Hey, what'd you do? Eat the rule book for breakfast?"

She was rewarded with a glare worthy of the Old Man himself. Kara caught herself before she commented on that fact.

Lee distracted himself from his flash of anger at Kara by directing his gaze elsewhere. It fell upon Helo and Sharon, who were clearly enamored with each other.

"Gives me the creeps seeing him acting like that with her," Lee muttered, seeing that Kara noticed his staring.

"He loves her. And, yeah, he knows she's a machine. He doesn't care. He loves her anyway." Kara didn't trust Sharon, but she respected Helo's unconditional love for her. She wondered what it would be like to be loved like that, openly, despite what everyone else thought.

"Frak! How can o­ne of us get that roped in by o­ne of them? You know, we should keep an eye o­n him too." Lee didn't know Helo and wondered if his loyalty to his own people was stronger than his love for one of the enemy.

"Helo's a friend of mine, all right? He's o­ne of the good guys." Why did Lee have to be so frakking paranoid?

"Yeah? Sharon was a friend of yours too," Lee couldn't resist pointing out the obvious. Without thinking, he rubbed at one of the lacerations on his face, which was itching as it healed. It wasn't this version of Sharon he had to thank for it, but to him they were all the same. He didn't want to think about that, though. "Okay people, break time's over. Let's move!" Lee effectively ended their conversation and the team started hiking again.

Kara walked up beside the President. It was time to start planting the idea of a rescue mission. "So from what I could tell, the Cylons have a plan for Caprica. They're cleaning up the bodies, bringing in the heavy machinery to fix the infrastructure."

"I understand," Roslin nodded, not really wanting to think about what the Cylons were doing to their homeworlds.

Kara's enthusiasm prevented her from seeing the President's unease. "But they haven't killed everyone. There's a resistance movement," she announced triumphantly. "O­nce we find the tomb and get the map, I think our first order of business has to be planning a rescue mission back to Caprica," she finished, sure the president would pleased at the thought of adding to their numbers.

"Lieutenant, I hope you know how grateful I am for everything you've done and what you've risked, but right now I can't think about anything but finding that tomb. Thank you."

Kara was nonplussed. How could anyone not want to rescue the survivors? She thought all this physical activity was probably a bit much for the President who wasn't used to such exercise having a desk job, and so she couldn't concentrate on more than one thing at a time. She would bring the rescue mission up again later. She'd talk to the Commander about it as well. She was sure he would be in favor of it.

"The path is supposed to be marked by gravestones. There's something there," Elosha observed and moved closer to investigate.

"Wait!" Sharon shouted, but it was too late. The priestess had triggered a landmine and it exploded, throwing her into the air. They all dived for cover as debris rained down on them. When the smoke and dust cleared, Roslin struggled to her feet and hurried to Elosha's side. The woman was clearly dead. Roslin was overcome with the loss of one who served the gods with her life. One she had grown to depend on and confide in. She shakily reached for the holy book which had fallen into the mud and was now stained with Elosha's blood. She clasped the Book to her chest and tried to hold back her tears. Billy put an arm around her shoulders in silent support.

The others worked quickly to dig a shallow grave; it was the best they could do. The President managed to say a few words over her body. Then they continued on.

When they stopped again to rest, President Roslin noticed Captain Adama standing apart from the rest.

"Captain Apollo...Lee...are you all right?"

"Yes, of course." Lee was confused. Did she think he was injured or grieving? He hadn't been near the explosion when Elosha was killed, and although they were all diminished by the death of a human soul, he wasn't close to her, in fact he barely knew her.

"You seem to be avoiding your father." Laura quietly revealed the source of her concern.

Lee's face hardened. "If I have anything of importance to report to the Commander, then I will do so."

"Don't you think he'd like to talk to you about anything other than this mission?" She'd seen the look on Adama's face when he had tried to speak to Lee earlier.

"What would he possibly have to say to me? He thought I was a Cylon." Lee didn't mean to sound so bitter, but something about Laura Roslin caused him to let his guard down a bit.

Laura put her hand on Lee's. "I was there too, you know."

Lee nodded halfheartedly. "But you haven't known me all my life."

"No," Laura agreed. "But you weren't there when Baltar first showed us the results. Your father vehemently denied it was possible. Colonel Tigh and I convinced him that it must be true."

Lee looked up. Colonel Tigh didn't surprise him, but he'd always thought the President trusted him. "You?"

"None of us wanted to believe it, but there is was in black and white. Or rather red." She laughed nervously at her bad joke. "And I remembered Leoben saying 'Adama is a Cylon,' back when Kara interrogated him. All the pieces seemed to fit together." She fell silent for a moment. "We added two and two and came up with five. I'm so sorry, Lee." She increased the pressure on his hand as she expressed her regret.

Lee cast his eyes downward again. He didn't want her pity.

"It's not your fault," he said finally, and pulled his hand away from hers.

"No," Laura concurred. "It was the Cylon's fault. And I know it's been hard for you, but it's been hard for him too." She didn't need to say to whom she was referring.

Laura watched as Lee's expression grew cold and distant. She knew the conversation was over. She had to stop herself from commenting that he'd gotten that mannerism from his father.

"It's time for us to move on. I'll see you later, Madame President." Lee hoisted his pack onto his shoulders and walked away.

Laura shook her head as she watched him go. Lee was being so stubborn. She wished she could figure out a way to get the two of them talking again. They were trying to hurt each other but they were really just hurting themselves.

When dusk approached, they found a place to make camp for the night. They set up tents and built a small fire. They hoped it wouldn't attract the attention of any Cylons that might be in the area. Bill and Laura sat off to the side. Laura noticed Bill watching Lee, who was sitting by the fire with Kara. It saddened her that the two men seemed to be getting along even worse than usual. "Give him some time, Bill."

"Hmmm?" The commander had been lost in thought. Then he realized what the President meant. "Is it that obvious?"

"Only if you're paying attention." Laura smiled.

"So...you're ah, paying attention, huh?"

"It behooves me to know what's going on around me. It's part of my job, I think. Plus I care about you both. Lee seems pretty stuck on being the poster boy for military discipline," Laura smiled sadly. "Is he trying to make amends for disobeying a direct order from Colonel Tigh? Or is he angry with you about what happened afterwards?" Laura spoke cautiously. She had a feeling she was treading on very unstable ground.

"Lee told you about that?" Bill asked sharply.

"Lee's never said a word to me. About any of it," Laura replied softly. "In fact, I've barely talked to him at all since this whole mess started."

"Then how..." Adama trailed off as he followed the President's gaze...to Billy Keikaya. Of course. Dee had been there. She must have told Billy, and he doubted Billy kept anything from the President. He felt a moment of shame, thinking of Dualla discussing his loss of control with her boyfriend.

Unaware of the Commander's thoughts, Laura continued her foray into uncharted waters. "Bill, I've been spending a lot of time reading the scriptures lately. There's a passage that I think applies to you, to your situation. _I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, only more love_."

Bill shook his head and looked away. "Lee doesn't seem to want my love," he finally responded.

"Oh yes he does," Laura replied with certainty. "He just doesn't want to admit it."

Adama regarded her silently for a few moments, and then returned his gaze to his son, a thoughtful look on his face.

* * *

By midmorning the next day, the team had come to the base of the Gates of Hera. There was what appeared to be the entrance to a tomb there. This was a surprise to some of them and a given fact to others. Kara removed the Arrow of Apollo from her quiver and began searching for a way to open the door with it. 

"Stupid frakking thing couldn't come with a handbook? No, because that would just be too logical, wouldn't it?" Kara didn't attempt to hide her frustration when there was no apparent way to use the arrow to open the door.

"And the Arrow of Apollo will open the Tomb of Athena," Roslin quoted.

"Yeah, well, unless anyone sees a keyhole or whatever, then we're either in the wrong place or we're just perfectly screwed." Kara felt like hitting something. She went through hell to bring back this frakking arrow and now they couldn't figure out what to do with it.

Adama decided to take matters into his own hands. If the Arrow didn't open the door, they would do it themselves. "Okay, then why don't we just..." he began pushing on the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Helo, come here." Helo joined Lee and Kara with the Commander at the door. "On three. One... two...three."

They started pushing o­n the rock door. After a few moments it finally swung open.

"Oh, my gods," Roslin gasped in awe.

Lee gestured to Kara, "After you."

Adama looked back at the rest of the team. Laura and Billy had already entered, along with Lee and Kara. When Helo moved to follow them in, he stopped him.

"Helo, you stay out." Adama knew if Helo came in, Sharon would want to come as well. If they did find the map to Earth inside, the last thing he wanted was to have the Cylons learn its location.

"Yes, sir."

"Chief," Adama addressed Tyrol

"Sir?"

"Guard everybody." Someone needed to remain outside as a sentry, as they wouldn't want to be trapped inside by Cylons and he didn't know how far he trusted Sharon and Helo.

"Sir," Tyrol nodded, and turned a watchful eye to the others.

Adama joined the others inside.

"If the arrow didn't actually open the tomb, how do we know this is the right place?" Kara wondered.

"We don't," Adama acknowledged. "But this is a tomb all right."

"The scriptures say you need the arrow to find the map." Roslin couldn't figure out how just finding a random tomb was going to help them.

"These broken statues," Kara indicated the ruins around them. "I recognize them. The ram, Aerilon."

"This could be Picon, the fish," Billy noted.

Lee looked at another one. "I guess this little lady could be Virgon."

"The goat, Caprica," Kara identified another one.

"Sagittaron. The archer," Roslin breathed. An archer needed an arrow.

"He's missing something," Adama verbalized what Laura had recognized.

Kara carefully placed the Arrow of Apollo in the bow of the Archer. Then the door to the tomb closed and the room went black.

The next thing they knew, they found themselves standing in what appeared to be an open field. There were twelve monoliths in a circle. Each had gems set in a constellation pattern in the stone with the constellation in stars above the monolith.

"Uh... where the hell are we?" Billy asked.

"I don't know. Tomb of Athena, I think," Roslin replied.

"I thought we were already in the tomb." Adama stated.

"I think that was the lobby," Kara whispered

The President noted the designs on the stones. "Again the ancient symbols. These patterns were o­n the original flags of the 12 colonies back in the days when the colonies were called by their ancient names: Aries... Taurus... Gemini... Cancer... Leo... Libra... Virgo."

"The jewels match the constellations," Adama added.

"This is the map. This is the map to Earth," Lee realized.

"Maybe. So is Earth in o­ne of these constellations?" Adama wondered

Kara realized the truth. "We're standing o­n it. We're standing o­n Earth. The scriptures say that when the thirteenth tribe landed o­n Earth, they looked up into the heavens and they saw their twelve brothers."

Roslin realized Kara was right. "Earth is the place where you can look up in the sky and see the constellations of the twelve colonies."

"I don't know what good it's going to do us though. I mean, what are we supposed to do? Search the entire galaxy for o­ne particular star pattern?" Kara was frustrated that the map they'd worked so hard to find was not more specific.

"Sir. There in Scorpio. I've seen that before. It's the lagoon nebula, sir" Lee said.

"Astral body M8," Adama identified it by its official name. "That's a long way from here."

"But at least now we have a map and a direction," Roslin was very optimistic that they could make the journey.

They made their way back out of the tomb and rejoined the others. They had barely walked any distance when centurions began firing on them from above.

"Get back, get back, get back!" Kara shouted.

"Sharon, take cover!" Helo yelled as he grabbed his weapon.

The warriors spread out, taking cover and returning fire. One of the marines was killed. Helo and Lee each took out one of the centurions.

The centurions continued to advance, moving through the midst of the humans in an attempt to divide and conquer. Billy took Laura's arm as they rushed to shelter behind some trees while Kara and Helo provided cover, firing madly and taking out several of the Cylons. Chief Tyrol and several others were also holding their own near another stand of trees across the way. They all retreated further and further into the forest as the Cylons advanced on their positions. Soon they had become totally separated from each other.

Bill and Lee fought boldly against the Cylons, finally felling the last of those that pursued them. When they were sure it was safe, they holstered their weapons and looked around. They were alone. There was no trace of the others. They didn't want to call out to them in case there were still Cylons in the area.

Lee came to attention. "Sir! We are cut off from the others. What are your orders, Sir?"

"We'll head back to the raptor. The others should be doing the same. We should meet up with them along the way."

"Aye, Sir!" Lee saluted sharply and they headed through the forest, Lee taking point. He tried not to think about Kara. She was okay. She had to be okay. She was Starbuck. Of course she was okay.

After they had traveled for some distance they were both hot and tired. Lee stoppped and came to attention. "Sir! Permission to take five, Sir!"

Bill was grateful Lee had brought up the idea of taking a breather. He wasn't as young as he used to be but he didn't want to admit that he needed a break. However, the constant strict military discipline bit was starting to get on his nerves. He didn't run his ship like that even before the worlds ended. He could detect no trace of sarcasm or insincerity in his son's voice, but it seemed to him that Lee was doing it just to annoy him.

"Cut the crap, Lee. We're alone for the gods' sakes."

"Sir! I don't know what you mean, Sir."

Bill sighed. "Lee. You don't have to be so formal every frakking moment. And you know it. So just stop it."

"Sir! Is that an order, Sir?"

"Yes! It's an order!" Bill was tired of this whole situation. Yes, he'd screwed up. Yes, he had to live with it. But living with it and having it thrown in your face all the time are two different things. In total frustration he growled, "What do you want, Lee? What do want me to do?"

Lee inhaled deeply and walked a few steps away. "What do I want? You really want to know what I want? I'll tell you what I want!" He turned to face his father as he spoke tersely, his voice getting louder with each word. "I want you to come to my tenth birthday party! I want you to take me hiking in the Caprican national forest! I want you to teach me to drive a car! I want..." His voice broke and he turned away again and finished his statement in a shaky whisper. "I want you to be there when I'm promoted to Captain." Lee couldn't continue. He had told himself that he hadn't wanted his father there then; he'd made himself believe it. But it wasn't true. He hadn't even realized it until now. But he'd wanted his father there.

Bill had never felt so helpless. When he'd asked Lee what he wanted, he'd been willing to do whatever it was his son had asked. Anything at all. But Lee had asked the impossible. No one could change the past.

Neither of them had any idea what to do next. Lee had never meant to reveal so much to his father. In fact, he hadn't meant to reveal it to himself. He was shocked that those things mattered to him. What difference did it make now anyway? He knew what he wanted was not possible. He didn't even realize that he wanted it at all. And now that he knew, it made him angry. Angry for wanting it and angry that he could never have it. He walked a few steps further away and took some deep breaths, trying to regain some modicum of control.

Bill had suspected that Lee was bitter about more than Zak's death when he'd first come aboard Galactica, but he hadn't had any idea that Lee resented his absence during his childhood to this degree. He'd always thought his sons understood. He was a warrior. He was fighting for their safety, their freedom, their future. _A lot of good it did, _he thought in disgust. _Zak is dead and what kind of future does Lee have? _

The sound of gunfire interrupted their thoughts and both men instinctively assumed defensive positions and returned fire. Lee counted three centurions, but that didn't mean there weren't more. When one of them fell, Lee looked over towards his father, intending to compliment him on his kill. No less that he'd have done for anyone else.

All Lee saw was blood. One moment Commander Adama had been there, then there was just...blood. "DAD!" he screamed in horror and finished off the two remaining Cylons in a burst of fury, firing wildly without cover. Then he ran to his father's side, fearing he was already dead. There was so much blood. It looked like his whole head was covered in it and it was all over his tunic as well. Lee gathered his father into his arms, crying. He cradled his father's body in his arms, mindless of the blood, holding his father's head against his chest and pressing his cheek against his father's hair. "Oh gods, Dad," he sobbed, "Dad."

* * *

Credits: 

Viper specs: Wikipedia

"Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles. It empties today of its strength." Anonymous

"We do not receive wisdom. We must discover it from experiences which no one else can have for us and from which no one else can spare us." Marcel Proust, French Author

"I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, only more love." Mother Theresa

Some text taken from the episode "Home" written by Ron Moore and David Eick


	12. Chapter 12

Bill felt a sharp pain in his head then he lost his balance and the world went black. He gradually regained awareness and realized someone was holding him. Only a moment later, he realized it was Lee. His son was calling his name and crying. His head still hurt, but he didn't think the injury was too serious. All his senses seemed to be intact. He reached up and tentatively returned his son's embrace. He felt Lee stiffen in his arms.

"Dad?" Lee pulled back a bit to look at his father. "Dad! You're not dead? My gods, you need a doctor!." Lee looked around frantically as if he could find a physician somewhere in the woods.

"Easy son, I'm all right," Bill was ecstatic but outwardly only smiled slightly.

Lee shook his head. That couldn't be possible. There was so much blood. He shrugged out of his pack and quickly rummaged through it for the med kit he knew was there. Pulling it out, he opened it and removed some pressure bandages. He pressed one against what seemed to be the source of the bleeding, and with another he tried to clean some of the blood from his father's face.

"Dad? Can you hear me?"

Bill smiled more fully this time. "Yes, son. I'm okay. It's not as bad as it looks." Bill could hardly feel any pain from the wound as he was so elated that Lee was behaving as a son rather than a CAG. Even if Lee wasn't aware of it now, and went back to his former aloofness later, it was worth it to know that deep down he did still care. Laura had been right. His son did love him.

Lee tried to take some deep breaths to calm himself. Obviously his father's brains had not been blown out…he was talking coherently after all, he told himself. He knew head wounds bled a lot but he'd never seen a fresh one up this close before. He kept wiping at his father's face and discovered much to his relief that it was all still there. The actual wound seemed to be limited to his left temple.

After a few minutes, he dared to pull back the bandage just enough to check and it was still bleeding. It was also really deep. He didn't realize there was that much subcutaneous tissue before you got down to the skull. He quickly replaced the bandage, both in an attempt to control the bleeding and to cover the wound, which he found quite sickening. At least the bullet didn't seem to be inside. It looked more like it had grazed a furrow there. Well, more than grazed, but at least it wasn't a direct hit.

Lee decided he needed to clean the injury, despite his aversion to seeing it up close again. He dug around in the med kit for what he needed and irrigated the wound, trying to be gentle, both not to cause his father pain and not to restart the bleeding. Then he applied an antibiotic ointment and secured a clean dressing over it. He knew it needed stitches but that was beyond his abilities. Cottle could take care of that back on Galactica. He sat back on his heels and looked at his dad. He seemed to be doing okay. "Do you want some water?" He grabbed his canteen and offered it to his dad without waiting for an answer.

Bill took it gratefully and drank a few sips. Gradually his world stopped spinning and he got his bearings. He tried to get up and Lee quickly grabbed his shoulders, stopping him. "Don't try to move, Dad," he cautioned.

"We need to find cover, son. I'm all right. I can walk," Bill insisted.

"No, we're safe here," Lee insisted. "At least for now." Lee looked around just to make sure. He knew all the pursuing Cylons were dead, but there could be more out there.

The underbrush was thick here. If they were careful, they wouldn't be easily visible. Of course, that meant their own people wouldn't be able to see them either. But Lee wasn't worried about that now. He helped the commander to his feet and got him into a semi-comfortable position with his back propped against a tree while he scanned the area for any additional Cylons or any signs of the other Colonials. He saw nothing but forest, heard nothing but chirping birds.

As he felt the stillness of the forest, he considered how upset he was when he believed his father was dead. It was overwhelming. A moment earlier he'd felt nothing but anger towards the man. Where had the feelings of deep loss at the thought of his death come from? For the first time, Lee considered how upset his father must have been, believing that his son had been killed by the Cylons and replaced. Maybe he had treated his father harshly, not given him a chance to account for his actions. He felt he should say something, but he wasn't sure what. He startled out of his reverie when he heard his father's voice.

"You were right; I wouldn't have had anyone else brought to CIC. I treated you unfairly because you were my son. I...I'm sorry."

Lee was shocked. His father was not only admitting he made a mistake but was apologizing? Maybe he did have a more serious head injury... He shook his head. He hadn't meant to make a joke, even privately. He obviously wasn't the only one who had been thinking in the silence. He just wasn't sure how to react to this degree of honesty from his father. Lee turned to face him as he continued to speak.

"Losing your temper isn't really a decision. It's more of a...an accident. I wish I could take it all back. It started when I got so angry with Laura...the President," he corrected himself, "for sending Kara back to Caprica. I was so sure she was dead." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I do care about her. I never realized how much. But...Lee, I...I don't wish that you..."

Lee couldn't stand any more of this. "Dad, you don't have to explain. I never should have said that. I didn't mean it."

"Yes you did," Adama replied evenly.

Lee looked up sharply, shocked by this calm declaration.

"And I can see why you felt that way. But it's not true."

"I know," Lee managed. He had a very fragile grip on his emotions.

Bill looked at his son, struggling for control. He was reminded of Lee's reaction to being told his father would never leave him. Lee was so overcome that he'd had to walk away. He wasn't going to let Lee walk away this time. There is a time for words, and there is a time when words are inadequate. He thought of something he'd once read. _"One's feelings waste themselves in words; they ought to be distilled into actions which bring results." _He reached out to Lee and enveloped him in his arms.

Lee returned his father's embrace, clinging tightly to the man he'd thought he hated, but now realized he loved. He couldn't deny it any longer. He loved his dad. He squeezed his eyes shut and buried his face in his father's shoulder, pressing against the rough fabric, feeling…safe. That was totally irrational, his father was wounded, there were Cylons everywhere, they were cut off from the rest of their team, but yet he felt safe. They clung tightly to each other for a long time. Silent apologies were offered and accepted. Finally, almost reluctantly, they let go. "We'd better get moving," Lee said and Bill nodded.

* * *

Kara was alerted to the potential for danger by a soft rustling of leaves followed by the sharp snap of a twig breaking. Then silence. Someone...or something...was out there. She made eye contact with Helo and whispered, "High - low," and they both took defensive positions. They motioned Billy, Laura and Sharon to take cover behind the trees. The leaves rustled again and they both emerged from hiding with their weapons drawn. They found themselves facing Chief Tyrol and the surviving marine that had been guarding Sharon. They all exhaled in relief and lowered their guns. "Chief! Thank the gods!" Kara said. Then she looked past him expectantly. "Where's the Commander and Apollo?" 

Tyrol's eyes widened. "I thought they were with you!"

Kara shook her head. "We all got separated back at the tomb."

The Chief refrained from pointing out that he was well aware of that. For awhile he had been fearful than only he and the marine had survived. Then they began to find signs that others had recently passed the way they were traveling. He was hoping it wasn't Cylons. He had assumed finding Starbuck would mean finding Apollo as well. It gave him a very uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach to discover that wasn't the case.

Roslin stepped forward. "I'm sure they're heading towards the raptor, just as we are. We'll meet up with them sooner or later." She spoke confidently, despite her private fears. No one contradicted her. Not aloud, anyway. Everyone had their thoughts about what could have happened to them. Such things were best left unspoken. They continued on together and finally made camp for the night.

* * *

Bill and Lee carefully made their way through the forest, Lee holding to his father's arm to help him balance. When dusk began to fall, they made camp. Lee built a fire and warmed some rations. They ate, keeping the conversation light. Finally, they fell silent, staring into the fire. 

"Why did you do it?" Lee asked quietly.

Bill was quiet for a long while. It wasn't that he didn't want to answer, it was that he wasn't sure which "it" Lee was referring to. The ill-fated coup, his treatment of Lee afterwards, his certainty that Lee was a Cylon copy. Bill finally realized that it didn't matter; they all ultimately happened for the same reason. "Anger. I was mad. I felt hurt, betrayed. I felt there was no one I could trust."

Lee had decided he wasn't going to get a response and was startled when his father started speaking. He silently considered his father's words. He grudgingly admitted to himself that perhaps he understood that feeling.

Bill waited nervously for Lee to reply. He wasn't used to sharing such personal things with anyone. He felt very vulnerable. It wasn't a comfortable feeling for a man used to commanding a warship. Was Lee going to shut him out again? Throw his actions back in his face? Remind him he was going to have to live with his regrets? What else could he say? _Come on Husker, this may be your last chance. Don't blow it. Be a man. Tell Lee the whole truth. _"I was wrong. Not because of how I felt, but because I acted on those feelings. I made poor choices because I let my emotions cloud my judgment. And yes, I have to live with it. I would bargain with Hades himself if I thought I could go back and change it. But I can't." His voice broke and he paused for a moment to recover his composure before he continued. "The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all thy tears wash out a word of it."

Lee was amazed at his father quoting...what was that? "That's not scripture..."

"No. It's Kataris."

Lee took a moment to absorb that his father had memorized Caprican poetry.

"I can't change the things I've done, but I don't have to accept that I can't do better next time."

Lee looked up, realizing his father wasn't referring only to his recent mistakes, but to those long in the past. He wasn't yet ready to call his father a friend, but perhaps that day might come. He met his father's gaze and nodded slowly, knowing that he too had done things he couldn't change. "Fair enough," he whispered. He didn't trust his voice to say more.

They sat together in silence for the rest of the evening, watching the fire reduce itself to embers and listening to the sounds of the night.

* * *

The bedraggled Colonials stumbled through the underbrush and gave a collective sigh of relief when they spotted the raptor. They quickly gave it the once-over. It didn't appear to have been tampered with. Helo and Kara looked around, scanning the surrounding forest. Roslin approached them. "How long should we wait for them to show up?" She didn't have to elaborate on who "they" were. 

"As long as it takes!" Kara responded.

"Lieutenant, we can't stay here forever. We'll wait as long as we can, but I don't see how we can spend another night here. Everyone else is accounted for; just the Commander and the Captain are missing. Do you think it's possible that..."

Kara interrupted her. "Don't say that. Don't even think it. They'll be here."

A sound behind them caused both women to jump and Starbuck spun around, instinctively drawing her weapon as she did so. Then she burst into a wide grin and holstered her gun while Laura Roslin stared in shock.

It wasn't just that the objects of their discussion now stood in the open raptor hatch, nor was it the bandage on the Commander's head and the dried blood on his uniform that was the source of the President's astonishment. It was the sight of Bill Adama standing there with his arm draped over Lee's shoulders, smiling like the cat that swallowed the canary. "My son and I are ready to leave whenever you are."

* * *

A large crowd had gathered for the ceremony. A hush fell over the room as Commander William Adama stepped to the podium. He tested the mike and then began to speak. "We have struggled since the attacks, trying to rely on one another. Our strength and our only hope as a people is to remain undivided. We haven't always done all we could to ensure that. Many people believe that the scriptures, the letters from the gods, will lead us to salvation. Maybe they will. But the gods shall lift those who lift each other. And so, to lift all of us, let me present once again the President of the Colonies, Laura Roslin." 

The crowd applauded politely. This wasn't good enough for Bill Adama. He began clapping slowly and the crowd followed him, until there was thunderous applause throughout the room. He looked over the crowd. Within it were the people who were the most important things in his life. His trusted friends, his family. They were the reason he would never give up, not until they were safe. Safe on Earth.

_fin_

* * *

_epilogue_

Bill Adama headed towards his quarters, looking forward to sleeping in his own bed. The excitement of announcing the mission to Kobol had been successful had faded and he was exhausted. Plus the pain pill Doc Cottle had given him earlier was starting to wear off. He was about to enter his quarters when his son appeared at his side.

Lee licked his lips and visibly worked up his nerve before he spoke. "Dad? I was wondering..."

"Lee," Bill interrupted. He was about to say _let's do this another time_. He was stiff, sore, and in no mood to do anything but sleep. But then he saw the look on his son's face. It was hope mingled with the expectation that he would be disappointed. Again. Like an abused dog coming back to lick the hand of its owner. He remembered Cottte's grudging admission that whoever had taken care of him on the planet must have been paying attention when they were taught field medicine and the pride he felt in his son; waking that morning on the planet and realizing that, for the first time in days, he hadn't had that nightmare about Lee. Then he recalled Lee's anguished confession that he wanted Bill's presence in his life, not just as a child, but recently as well. He remembered his own wishes for another chance with his son, a chance to do things right. Now here it was. Maybe being a father meant you didn't get to sleep just because you were tired. He pursed his lips together and finished his sentence. "Why don't you come in for a nightcap?"

* * *

Credits: 

"One's feelings waste themselves in words; they ought to be distilled into actions which bring results." Florence Nightengale

"The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all thy tears wash out a word of it." From the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam


End file.
